I Am Sorrow
by volibear
Summary: They fell madly in love. Their love was so true, in fact, that even His Grace envied it. Cursed by his wicked hands, Lavi and Lenalee are together forever- but eternally apart. A chance encounter with a petty thief could be their only chance to escape their pitiful half-lives. LL
1. Dig, mouse!

**UPDATE FEBRUARY 1, 2009: Chapter 1 has been polished! A few plot holes and grammar errors have been repaired. Slightly extended. Looks about ten times better now!**

**Alright, so - this was something inspired by _Ladyhawke_, which I have always loved, ever since I was a wee little thing. It's an absolutely wonderful story, as well as a movie. I watch it still. I totally dig it.  
**

**If you've never seen Ladyhawke, that's fine. You need have no knowledge of it to read this. If you can, try to see the movie - I promise you won't be disappointed. If you are familiar with the tale, I'm sure it would still be fun to revisit it with DGM in the mix. Indeed, this is a very fun thing to write. :) Heheh... even though it's basically ripped straight out of the movie. I tried to add my own little things in there, though. Different elements, names (of course), and background that was not included in the film.**

**Enjoy!!**

* * *

_"Impossible..._

_"Nothing is impossible!_

_"Come on, mouse - dig! Dig - mouse - dig!"_

"Two more."

The chubby warden that was in charge of the Aquilan dungeons entered the gloomy confines of his lair.

"I want Allen Walker."

Boric was a respected man, although nobody liked him. His Grace left him to manage the hell that was the dungeons, while the Earl ruled up above. Surely nobody under the castle would disagree that this place was indeed their grave, for, as much as Skinn Boric enjoyed teasing and torturing his prisoners, he took his job very seriously. The Bishop promised this Skinn Boric that should any of his pets escape his grasp, he wouldn't have a head to see the next moment of it.

"This is the cell, sir,"

At last, he arrived at the cell he had been searching for, the one that held his little mouse. The mouse was a young boy no older than 15, even younger by the looks of it, whom one of his guards had caught picking the pocket an Earl's acolyte. A sin, through and through. It was no easy task, capturing this boy. He had put up quite a struggle, and at one point had even managed to get away for a while. He was difficult to find because his snow white hair passed him off as an elderly citizen. However, Skinn Boric knew better. This boy was marked. Cursed. He was branded by the devil and did not belong in such a holy city as Aquila. The scar on his face, which ran over his left eye and ended in a pentagram on the youth's forehead, was a clear indication of this fact.

The warden paused as he peered into the boy's cell. Where was the little devil? Where was his mouse? A malicious grin spread across his rusty features as he spotted a small lump on one of the cots in the corner. The giggling lunatic who also occupied the cell watched him with round eyes that seemed to somehow fit into his skull despite their impossible size. Boric shoved the door to the grimy cell open and approached the cot, smirking.

"Little mouse? Trying to hide are we...?" Boric grabbed a handful of the soiled old cloth that covered the cot and tore it away, only to find a pile of bed linens. Boric's smirk vanished instantly, quickly being replaced by a disturbed expression.

"What the devil?" Clearly not liking the situation, Boric threw the pile of linens to the cobbled stone floor, turning around for a full inspection of the cell. There was no way the mouse could be hiding in here. And there was no way he could have escaped either; he kept a guard watching the prison every hour. The warden knelt down and searched under the cot, without satisfactory results.

"This is the wrong cell," Skinn barked, startling the guard who had led him to this particular cell, "I want Allen Walker. The one they call _the Mouse_."

"The mouse? The mouse! He's left our house! No mouse today, he's run away! To ease the pain, he's down the drain!" Boric spun, seeing the lunatic who was smiling widely, most of his teeth missing or about to be lost. He flew at the prisoner, seizing him by his ragged tunic.

"Think you're funny, eh? Speaking in riddles. I should have you scragged. Suman!" The prison guard, Suman, entered and was startled by this loopy man who was still grinning in his crazed bliss.

"Where is the one called Allen Walker? He was supposed to be in this cell! I do not see the brat anywhere!"

"As of feeding time, he was still here. In this cell, milord, he couldn't have left," Suman the guard replied honestly.

The lunatic giggled maniacally, freeing himself from the warden's hold and crawling weakly over to a small drainage hole in the center of the cell. "Kind lord, I've already told you!"

Now thoroughly had with, Boric looked down to the prisoner at his feet, who was pointing at the drain. Impossible. The man really was crazy. Suman peered down at the pipe as well, stunned. It was no wider than sixteen inches...

"Impossible. Nobody can fit through that!" Suman declared, after estimating its width. He was clipped in the face by Boric's well aimed fist.

"And yet he did! Fool, we must find and capture that little bastard before the Earl hears of this! You understand? Not a word! Search every sewer - every drain!" Suman nodded sheepishly, stepping aside as Boric moved to leave the cell.

"Surely there is a reward for my help?" the crazed prisoner asked from the warden's feet. Boric promptly landed a kick to his gut, sending the last of his teeth into the drain pipe.

"You'll be first in line for hell today, how does that sound?"

"Please kind lord, not that!" In the end, it was a vain attempt to win his mercy, for Boric had no intention of showing any as he dragged the man to his fate at the gallows. But now the warden had a new concern on his mind. If he didn't find the little mouse soon, this madman wouldn't be the only one going to hell this day.

* * *

"Only a little more...!"

What used to be the dank silence beneath Aquila was broken by the voice, slightly muffled by the soil separating it from the sewers. A blood red hand broke through the rotting mud of an unused drain pipe, grasping at the air it now felt. A mess of white followed, caked by the grime and filth of the pipe it had just been forced through. He grunted as he attempted to pull the rest of his body out.

"It's not unlike escaping mother's womb! Oh, God, what a memory!"the teen exclaimed, pausing for a moment at the sheer oddness of his spoken thought. His cerulean silver eyes widened as his entire body came sliding out of the pipe, having just freed his hips. The boy plunged into the stank waters of the Aquilan sewers, sinking deep into the murky liquid and God knows what else. Despite how utterly disgusting it was, the teen opened his eyes and desperately searched for a way out. He spotted a gate below the water, and taking that as a sign to freedom, he swam for it. It was a tight fit, but having just crawled through a drain pipe, it was not much of a challenge for the boy. His body slipped through and soon he found himself swimming upward as his lungs constricted, screaming for oxygen.

He broke the surface with a violent gasp for air, and the scenery hadn't changed much. He found that was still in a sewer, but in a different area of the city. Perhaps a more wealthy district? He peered down the length of the tunnel, rejoicing as he spotted light filtering in from some opening. He scampered to the side, however, as an fearsome beast appeared in the water, floating toward him. An Akuma? His eye hadn't reacted to its presense, so he knew it could be no Akuma. But what was it? Instinctually, his Innocence activated, his left arm transforming into a large, crude-looking black claw.

"Mana, I'll never pick another pocket as long as I live - I swear." The beast ignored his incoherent muttering and continued to drift toward him.

"If you've heard me, this ledge will remain steady as rock, and the thing coming toward me won't be what I think it is... of course if it is, there will be no hard feelings. But I would be very disappointed!" He ground his teeth together, forcefully lunging at the menacing creature in the water. There was a loud splash that echoed about the sewer's walls as the teen tackled the beast, dragging it under. There was a moment in which the two resurfaced, the enormous claw holding up what appeared to be the skull of an ox.

"You've got a silly imagination, Allen," he said to himself, chuckling with slight discomfort and hurling the skull back into the water. Who could blame him? It was dark down her, and he figured he probably already had the entire city in search of his head. Allen continued swimming, his large claw speeding up the process by using his claw as an oar to propel him faster. Eventually this led him to a break in the light, which, looking up, Allen discovered was coming from a long tunnel leading to an elaborate setting above. Curious, Allen began to climb. The fact that the drain was not well cared for made it easier for him to scale it, for his claw could easily dig itself into the wall while his human arm couldn't. At last, as the light grew closer, Allen felt that he had hope after all.

"It's Allen, Mana - Allen! You won't regret this - I'm a wonderful person, really!"

His scampering finally came to a stop as he reached a grate that separated himself from the world above. Men in long white robes stood around the drain, completely oblivious to the small white-haired boy lurking beneath the grate. Of course - of all places he had to end up! Here - under the Grand Cathedral! The Bishop's lair!

No matter. He had to escape, one way or another. His grubby fingers coiled around the rusty steel of the grate, ready to move it to the side.

A small girl apparently noticed him there and knelt by the grate. She smiled innocently, then glanced down to inquire about his current situation.

"Hello! What're you doing down there?"

"_Get away! Get away!_" Allen hissed at the girl. The girl looked up as her mother called for her. (_"Come here, come here..."_)

He was quiet enough that he could easily sneak out of here without notice. However, with his plans for freedom occupying his mind, he failed to notice the boots belonging to a distressed guard traveling across the Cathedral's marble floor, straight for the grate. The boots plunged down on his fingers, and it took everything in him not to cry out in pain as his frail bones were crushed under the man's boot. As the boot lifted from his poor fingers, he lost his grip on the grate and fell back into the murky depths of the Aquilan sewers.

The guard's brow furrowed as he heard an odd splash from somewhere below him, but he paid it no mind. For now, he had a job to do. He was Lord Mikk, captain of the Aquilan Guard. As he approached the Earl, he felt the man's eyes bore into his own, but he kept a firm posture and plowed on. Part of his job was to report the bad news. He knew that the news he was about to tell the Earl would anger the man to no end. He also knew that the news would mean the end of a certain warden.

"Praytell Captain, what brings you here at this hour?"

"I bring... disturbing news, milord. One of the prisoners has escaped."

"Impossible. Nobody ever escapes the dungeons of Aquila - the people accept this as historical fact. Who informed you of such nonsense, Captain?" The Earl's voice was calm as ever, but Mikk could hear the steel edge beyond it that indicated that he meant business.

"Where is Boric? How could he allow a teenaged boy to escape, of all prisoners?"

"He is currently under watch of the Tease, milord." The Earl sensed the delight behind Mikk's words. It was not unknown to him that Mikk and Boric have never been on good terms. Perhaps he even considered them to be foes.

"I have no need of the bastard. Do what you will with him. I will not tolerate failure," the Earl said, dismissing Mikk. He trusted that Mikk would ensure a long, painful, and torturous death to Boric rather than simply tearing the warden's heart out of his ribs.

"Milord, his service has been well in the past. Will you simply rid of him so easily?" The Earl knew Mikk was only lingering for the simple amusement of it all. Surely Mikk would volunteer to slip a noose around Boric's neck any day. The Earl turned on him coldly, disregarding his comment.

"Captain, capture this boy yourself. He must answer to both me and God for his crimes, and soon, Mikk. Bring him before me - dead or alive, I care not."

"It would be a miracle if he were to get through the sewage system."

"I believe in miracles, Mikk, it's part of my job."

"At any rate, milord, tis but a insignificant, petty thief." The Earl rounded on the Captain, who visibly shrunk away in surprise.

"He is not just a boy, Captain Mikk. He is an exorcist. A devil. A monster. He must be captured. I will lend you all the Akuma you need," the Earl paused, "Great storms announce themselves with but a simple breeze, Mikk, and a single rebel spark can ignite the fires of rebellion."

"Yes, milord, by all means. If he is out there, I will find him." Mikk said, defeated. He bowed low and kissed the ring on the Earl's hand before taking his leave. Mikk's expression transformed into a sadistic grin as a Tease crawled out from under his sleeve. Tyki Mikk raised it to his face, which had darkened in pigment, revealing a birthmark running across the man's forehead. His now golden eyes gazed fondly at the Tease sitting complacently on his wrist.

"Make it slow and painful," he said, his voice soft and velvety despite the chilling instructions he had just given. The bell of the Cathedral rang out like a funeral march as the Tease fluttered toward the dungeons.

* * *

_Outside Aquila_

The bells on the Grand Cathedral of Aquila chimed in the distance. The sounds reached for a few miles around the outside of the city, alerting those who happened to be passing by that something unwanted beyond its walls had just occurred. Among these passerbys was a man wearing a black cloak with a hood that hid his features under its shade. His black horse neighed softly, and the man reached a strong arm out to pet the stallion's mane to calm him. The wind picked up and lifted the hood from his head, revealing a mess of crimson hair and a mystifying emerald eye, the other of which was hidden by an eye patch on his left side. Although the man was quite handsome, his face was set into a grim expression. The look in his eye as he gazed out at the city could only be described as sorrowful.

He heard a cry from above and he raised his gloved wrist. A dark feathered hawk descended upon him and perched on his arm, a feather drifting from the hawk's tail and landing in the grass by the horse's hooves. His remaining eye continued to gaze out at the city, pulling the hawk closer to him. He had once seen this city as a golden one - one that was beautiful and full of pleasant wonders that he could never thought to be true. But now, as the sun sank beneath the horizon, he felt a bitter shadow biting at his conscience. This city was no longer beautiful, not to him. The tall oak gates that guarded the entrance to the city resembled the gates that lead to the depths of hell itself. A hell he would have to return to if he desired to fulfill his only remaining purpose in life. The powerful sound of the bell sounded like death to him. It meant that somewhere, in the depths of that gray place known as Aquila, some unfortunate being has lost it's life to the Earl. It meant that his time for vengeance had arrived at last.

He now eyed the hawk, stroking the fine dark feathers on top of her head.

"Soon, my love..."

* * *

**Those of you who know Ladyhawke may be able to guess the rest of the cast. But don't go giving it away yet! :D There's still more characters that might appear and /possibly/ be a surprise.**

_Next up: Who is the mysterious man with the hawk? And how much longer can Allen go on such an empty stomach?_

* * *


	2. Foe

**UPDATE FEBRUARY 1, 2009:**** Chapter 2 now updated! Grammar and spelling polished - nice and clean! Inconsistencies fixed. Lookin' good. **

**Here it is, part two. I tried to get this one up as fast as I could. I've been very busy with my work and that has left little room to work on this. Alas, I surprise myself that I got it up this quick. Anyway, it's a little shorter than the last, but trust me - the next chapter is much more eventful and significantly longer. I'll have it up by next Thursday at the latest! Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day bloomed into nothing more than cloudy gray skies, looming above and threatening to pummel the city of Aquila with its wrath at any given moment. However, despite the gloomy appearance it bore today, the city was quite spirited. Tyki Mikk and a small assembly of his knights had set off on a mission, and the sight of them trotting atop their mounts through the cobbled streets alone was enough to set off a rumor mill among the people of Aquila. Had it been a smaller, less experienced band of knights, the commoners would have passed it off to be business as usual. But surely, because Captain Mikk lead this particular group, something interesting had to be up.

"He deserved it!" howled the guard, choking on his breakfast. His friend gave him a helpful pat on the back to help him swallow his food. When he did, the other guard nodded in agreement.

"Made me slop drudge for a whole month, the bastard," the latter said darkly. Apparently, the guards were not too fond of the late Boric, who had been punished the night before. News of his death spread quickly, and the streets of Aquila only became that much brighter. They stopped to watch as Captain Mikk galloped past them with his knights. They were too absorbed in the sight that they failed to notice the skinny hand that emerged from the water behind them. The hand carefully nicked away a dagger that sat between the two guards, and used it to cut away the ties that held both of their money pouches. Pleased with himself, Allen disappeared beneath the bridge and reappeared on the other side.

"I know I promised, Mana, never again," he said, answering an unheard question, "But I also know, that you know, what a weak-willed person I am." The teen pocketed the coppers and made his way toward a small settlement outside of the city. Now that he had made it past the gates of this terrible place, it was in Allen's best interest to put as much distance as he could between himself and this hellhole they called Aquila. Better safe than sorry, he thought. First, though, he needed some dry attire. His stomach growled, rather loudly, and the teen placed his red hand over it, frowning in his hungry misery.

"A nice hot piece of cabbage, like you would always seem to have, Mana," the teen spoke to himself, roleplaying his would-be breakfast as he passed the river. He let out a startled cry as a wolf howled somewhere in the distance, and his pace quickened.

"Wolf! No wolf, please!" the teen had only walked about half a mile when he came to an abrupt stop, taking in his surroundings and realizing that he hadn't a clue where he was headed. Sighing, he rubbed his temples.  
"Where the hell am I?" he moaned, slowly picking up his walking again. With the sun rising slowly, it again reminded Allen of the pleasant food that he was missing at the very moment. Something that everyone else in the kingdom would be eating right about now. Except for him, of course.

"Hot lamb, with sauce on it," he continued, losing himself to the thoughts of delicious food, "Maybe some of that green stuff you would put on it..."

* * *

He first heard the thundering approach of a band of horses. Having only just returned the clothes to his body, the man stumbled a bit as he crept into the bushes for a better view of the road. His fingers parted the green, careful as not to let his contrasting crimson hair give him away. What he saw was of little surprise to him, but it was who he saw that struck a chord. His emerald eye narrowed, watching as the knights galloped by him, completely unaware of his presence. The man only recognized one of the knights. The Captain, Tyki Mikk. A deep growl rose in his chest. Just looking at the man's curly black hair and dark eyes was enough to summon his hatred for the bastard.

"Mikk..." the man growled, thinking back to their first meeting.

_"You're falling behind, Deak. Keep up," the small boy was pulled from his trance. His bright green eye rose up from his horse's neck and down the road to see his master far ahead of him. Alarmed that he had allowed himself to drift so far behind, he gave the horse a small kick to the sides. The winter air was taking a toll on his conscience, and it showed. Deak had been drifting in and out of attentiveness. Catching up with his master, the boy gave the latter an apologetic look before returning his eye to the road. His master glared at him. _

_"Deak," the elderly man called. No answer._

_"Deak!" he repeated, and the child's head spun dramatically to face him, his remaining eye wide open in surprise. The old man narrowed his own eyes at him. Clearly something was troubling his apprentice. This was unacceptable. _

_"Quit it, now." He ordered. The boy, Deak, blinked innocently. _

_"What?"_

_"You know what. That brooding. It needs to stop. It should never have started," his master clarified, a sharp edge in his tone. Deak turned his head to back to the road. Since he was riding to the left of his master, the Bookman could only see Deak's eye if he turned his face completely in his direction._

_"Yes, panda," he mumbled. The old man felt a prickling on the back of his neck._

_"What did you call me?" he growled. As age was not kind to him, large shadows had formed around the Bookman's eyes. He couldn't understand why everyone associated him with that animal._

_"Y-yes, master," Deak quickly corrected himself. Bookman was tempted to kick the small boy right off his horse, but instead sighed and let it go. _

_They had been traveling across Eastern Europe for quite some time now, having recently completed some logs in Asia that were of minor importance. Deak was tired. He was simply tired. Not only of the constant traveling, but of all the _fighting_. All the _war_. The _death_. The _blood_. All of which he was required to simply stand aside and watch as the foolish humans killed one another over mediocre matters such as land, religion, and power. He was to stand and write. Record everything that he saw, unbiased, unchanged.  
_

_Deak straigtened up, turning his head again to face his master. The Bookman sensed this movement and turned his head slightly so that he could see his apprentice._

_"Do Bookmen ever write about the good things that occur in history?" he asked. Bookman eyed him._

_"Define 'good'." Deak hesitated a moment before replying._

_"Well, say there's a band of knights that traveled the land helping the unfortunate?" The Bookman raised a brow. _

_"And?"_

_"And... they freed every slave in the world," Deak finished, lamely. He didn't notice how silly the idea sounded. Bookman sighed._

_"I'm sure if that were to ever happen, there might be a possibility. But you must understand, Deak. Humans are -"_

_"-stupid, I know -"_

_"- and all they ever do is -"_

_"- fight and kill each other -"_

_"As future Bookman, you should know this. Don't count on good being in the world. There will always be war, Deak. There will always be hate and bloodshed, the human nature you are detached to. Remember, you have no need of a heart. In order to do your job, you must suppress all unneccessary emotion. Good or bad, it should not affect you. Enough with your ridiculous questions."_

_That was it. That was Bookman's abrupt dismissal of the subject. Clearly, he had no desire to speak the boy any further about such matters. Both looked up as they heard screams in the settlement up ahead. The Bookman slowed to a stop still a far distance from the scene, causing Deak to stop as well. _

_"Please, milord! We are low on supplies and -"_

_"AND THE DEADLINE WAS BUT THREE MOONS AGO! WHERE ARE MY WEAPONS?" roared a man clad in a white scabbard, "MY MEN ARE IN NEED OF NEW EQUIPMENT AND YET YOU CANNOT FULFILL A SIMPLE REQUEST! WENCH!"_

_The woman cowered in fear of the man, flanked by his fellow knights. "B-but Commander.. Commander please, my husband has fallen ill and is unable to work as effectively as -"_

_"WHY IS HE NOT WORKING NOW?!" the Commander shoved the woman aside and she coiled up into the ground, her feeble form shaking as the Commander kicked open the door to the couple's small shack. The other people of the settlement seemed to be too frightened by the presence of the knights to leave their own homes. The woman seemed to be pleading silently with whichever deity she worshiped. One of the knights noticed this, and kicked the woman to the side. She rolled on her side, clutching her stomach which had taken the blow. There was a struggle inside the shack as the Commander fetched the poor woman's husband. He was thrown to the ground, coughing up blood - whether from his illness or because the Commander had beaten him, it was difficult to tell. The woman cried out for her husband and attempted to scamper next to him, but the knight who had kicked her before noticed once again. This time, a well-aimed kick to the woman's head kept her silent. Her husband watched in horror. _

_"..m-monsters!" he shouted, attempting to stand, "She did nothing to deserve your treachery!"_

_"Isn't that just it?" The Commander hissed, seizing the man by his shirt collar, "She did nothing."_

_"Go to hell," the man sputtered before being backhanded by the Commander._

_"You scum! How dare you speak to me that way! Filthy commoner, realize who your betters are!" the man gasped for air as he felt something enter his chest and coil around his most vital organ. Looking down, he only had moments to realize that it was the Commander's arm that had penetrated him. His eyes widened and he stared at the man once more. The pauper became limp in the Commander's grasp, his other hand holding what appeared to be the man's heart. Deak felt his own heartbeat racing. This guy was bad news. The Commander threw his body to the ground next to his wife. He then turned to his knights._

_"Gather all supplies available. Once you've gathered everything you desire, burn this sty." The knights gave a small salute to their superior before carrying out their orders. The Commander glared at the couple sprawled on the ground, their lifeless forms depicting a scene of macabre. He spat, throwing the man's heart into the ground and crushing it under his boot, spraying the area with blood. Deak felt sick. He didn't want to continue. He didn't want to watch any longer. But he had to. He was the future Bookman. It was his job._

_His heart then froze as the Commander faced them. He felt Bookman next to him tense. The Commander knew they had been watching! Deak shrunk into his horse as much as he could, even though he was still clearly visible, especially since his crimson hair was a dead standout._

_"Commander! What the devil are you doing?" the voice rang out loud and was clearly laced with anger. A man on a black stallion appeared from the opposite road. His long, silky black hair was tied back into a pony tail, giving him a strange air of authority that Deak could feel right away. The man rode closer to the Commander, stopping as he took in the scene before him. The rock hard expression on his face indicated that he was not pleased with what his subordinate was up to._

_"Captain Kanda," the Commander purred, changing his tone with eerie abruptness. The Captain furrowed his brows. _

_"What is the meaning of this, Mikk?" Kanda growled, staring down at the Commander from his mount, "I don't remember treachery being part of your orders."_

_"Forgive me Captain, but in a way, it was. My orders were to collect the equipment from these commoners here," Mikk explained, waving a hand at the home that was being cleared of values by the two knights. Kanda scowled._

_"You fool, your orders were to **only** collect the equipment! You killed them! Be assured that His Grace will hear of this incident!" Kanda spat, absolutely disgusted with the Commander's tactics. "I should strip you of your rank right now, Tyki Mikk. You're a great dishonor to the Aquilan Guard." He added. The Commander only withheld his poker face, listening as the Captain chewed him out._

_"My apologies, Captain. I will ensure this does not happen again," he said, gazing coolly up at the man._

_"Che," Kanda turned on his subordinate and galloped away to report his findings to the Earl._

_"Deak," Bookman hissed. Deak whipped his head around to see his master disappearing into the dead brush to the side. Deak took hold of the reigns and turned his horse to follow. As he followed the Bookman into the depths of the darkening forest, for the first time in his life, the young apprentice felt fear. Fear for his own life. Tyki Mikk. What a corrupt human. Somehow, he felt said man's eyes burning holes into the back of his head. He tried to hide the fear in his face as he again caught up to his master._

_"Lavi," Bookman said. When he received no answer, as usual, he said it louder._

_"Lavi." Again, no response. Bookman growled._

_"__**Deak.**__" His voice but a monotone, it somehow caught the boy's attention. As his head whipped around to face his master, he was met by a well aimed rock the Bookman had mysteriously come into possession of. _

_"Ow! Panda!"_

_"I am not a panda, Lavi."_

_"Is that my new name?"_

_The Bookman nodded._

_"Lavi. You are now Lavi. Remember it."_

_Lavi. That was who he was now. He was Lavi. Not Deak. He was Lavi, who was a traveler. He knew nobody in this foreign land. And Lavi had never met Tyki Mikk.  
_

Lavi watched the now Captain Tyki Mikk gallop toward the north. His breath caught in his throat, realizing that there must be good reason for the Captain himself to be wandering outside the city walls. He withdrew from the bush and ran as fast as he could to where his horse awaited him. Mounting up, Lavi began following the man at a stealthy distance, taking care not to be spotted by any of the knights. The moment he first laid eyes on this bastard, he knew he was a force to be reckoned with. Lavi had more than enough reason to hate Tyki's existence.

* * *

Allen didn't have to wander much farther before discovering a small home. By the looks of it, the family that occupied it couldn't have been very wealthy at all. Allen didn't care - they probably had more than he did, anyway. A flicker of red caught his attention, a small fire over which hung clothes that must had been washed not too long ago. Two children were nearby, talking amongst one another. Allen suddenly had an idea.

The children trailed off in their conversation as the teen approached, the subject of their attention probably being his white hair.

"Hello! Wonderful day, isn't it?" Allen said, adjusting his voice so that it sounded as friendly as humanly possible. With the childrens' attention now totally torn from the clothes, Allen took his chance.

"Look up there!" he said, pointing in the direction opposite the clothing, in a tree. The children whirled around, eyes locked on the location in which Allen had pointed out to them. Seizing his opportunity, Allen darted off, nicking some trousers, a new shirt, and a pair of doeskin shoes. He ran as fast as his skinny legs could carry him, and by the time the children turned back to him, he was long gone. The little girl gasped when she saw the now empty colthes hanger.

"He took daddy's shoes!" she cried. Allen could only grin at his evilness.

"That's right! Thanks!" he yelled back. Under his breath he muttered, "Forgive me Mana, that was instinctual."

* * *

**Sorry for such a lame update, but this is just to prepare for the next chapter, which will be more progressive in the plot. Again, I'll have it up by Thursday, maybe earlier if I can get online before that. I my only access to the internet as of late is while I'm staying in my hotel. Alright, that's all for now. Drop me a review and tell me what you think! :)**

_Next up!: Allen discovers just how drinking under the age can be life-threatening - well, sort of. Fires, horses, and grape juice to be noted._


	3. Lavi, Scorn of His Grace

**APRIL 7TH, 2009: Polished!**

**Ah, it seems I was able to get this up a day in advance - yay me!**

**As I promised, this one is longer and makes much more progress than the last. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Innkeeper! A drink of your most expensive!" Allen called confidently as he strolled into the tavern. The barkeeper, a very old man indeed, eyed him dubiously with eyes that reminded Allen of a panda.

"Aren't you a bit young, lad?" he asked, his accent brazenly suggesting that the man was of Asian lineage. Allen frowned.

"Alright, just get me some... juice then," he said. The old man eyed him.

"Let's see your money." Allen rummaged in his pocket for a moment, fishing out the stolen pouches.

"Copper, my friend. Anyone wish to join me in a toast?" Allen said, words chosen like an upper class satire. A farmer that was seated on a bench turned around.

"Let's hear your toast," he said, his voice sounding disturbingly familiar to Allen. But he shrugged it off, and raised his glass of what appeared to be grape juice (perhaps the only thing the pubman could provide considering he specialized in alcohol).

"We drink to somebody special. Somebody who has seen the dungeons of Aquila, and has lived to tell the tale!"

"Then you drink to me, little man. I've seen those dungeons."

Allen raised a brow, pausing before his lips touched the sweet juice.

"A blacksmith, perhaps? Or a carpenter? Stonecutter?" Allen guessed, "But surely, you're no prisoner?"

A small grin crept over the farmer's face, and he signaled to the other farmers at his bench.  
"I didn't say I was a prisoner," Captain Mikk said. Allen dropped the glass and it shattered on the floorboards below. "If you'd stuck to the woods, you might have stood a chance, Walker." His men rose, advancing on the white-haired boy. Allen swallowed, unsure what to do other than escape. Suddenly his form stiffened, eye activated, his pupil and iris imploding into a series of red rings, the rest of the eye maintaining a solid black. He could see the souls trapped inside all the soldiers except for the Captain...

"Get him!" Captain Mikk ordered, and his men lunged at the boy. Allen yelled, ducking down. The men flew over him and their faces hit the bar counter, while Allen crawled out from behind the seats. He found and opening and hastily clambered under the bar. In confusion, the men drew their swords and plunged them into the floorboards. Their blades narrowly missed Allen, and he yelled in surprise, crawling quicker. Why weren't they transforming? On the other side, he scattered the chickens in front of the exit and clambered up. Seeing it as a chance to escape, he took off in a run. However, he did not intend for his path to be blocked by two more Akuma. Thinking of nothing better he could do, Allen activated his innocence, revealing the giant black claw. Allen turned around, and using his claw, pulled himself easily onto the terrace that covered the tavern. Some of the soldiers raised their blades and attempted to stick the boy with them, which Allen easily dodged. He swayed left and right, gasping as he lost his balance and fell back into the tavern below. He then felt his form being lifted forcefully upward; two Akuma assisted in grabbing him by the shoulders and pinning him against one of the posts holding up the terrace. Allen winced at their powerful grip, thrashing his arm about. Captain Mikk applauded his effort, amused, and finally rose from the bench. However, as Allen failed to notice this action, and his claw continued to thrash about. The sharp tip soared across Mikk's cheek, leaving a fine cut just below his eye.

Allen stopped in horrifying realization, his innocence deactivating and changing back into the discolored arm. He looked up at Captain Mikk, ruefulness in his eyes.

"I - I'm terribly sorry!"

The Captain, however, did not hear his desperate apology. Mikk raised a hand up to the cut, running a gloved finger across the gash. As he removed it and eyed his finger, he saw the blood that stained the white fabric. Without looking at Allen, his voice came out a low hiss, hardly audible.

"Kill him."

The two Akuma holding him down grinned inhumanly as guns formed out of their bodies, one from the face and the other in his chest.

"Please, have mercy on my soul!" Allen shut his eyes tight, preparing for the worst...

However, the worst never came. The vice grip on his shoulders disappeared, and there was a cry of anguish and an explosion that accompanied it. Allen opened his eyes. The sight before him was startling, to say the least. Two of the Akuma were gone, the ones who had held him down. In their place was... a big black wall? No - it was round. Like a cylinder. Suddenly it rose up, dispatching Allen backwards in surprise, landing on his behind. Allen watched it rise up, and then turn on its side and swung to the left, colliding with three more Akuma. Allen watched, speechless. Fastened to the large black cylinder was what appeared to be a pole. The pole was extended quite a distance before Allen noticed a figure at the other end of it, guiding the far oversized thing with little or no effort. His eyes widened even more (if it was even possible) as the cylinder began to shrink in size, eventually returning to the figure at the end, who shouldered the object (which Allen now recognized as a hammer) and approached.

As he came closer, Allen was able to make out his features much more clearly. The man was somewhat tall with flaming red hair and an emerald eye. He noticed how the other was covered by an eye patch tucked under a black headband that kept the crimson locks out of his remaining one. Absently he wondered if he had been injured there, or it was simply a blind eye. He couldn't have been older than twenty; his young features seemed more or less mature. The man turned his head to face him, as Allen was situated on the side with the covered eye. The boy stiffened slightly under his gaze, unsure what to think.

"You, out."

Allen stared at him a moment before deciding it was best to do what he said. He took one last glance at Captain Mikk, who witheld a cocky-looking expression that betrayed the icy gaze he'd locked on the newcomer. Then he took off down the road, running to wherever his legs would take him - as long as there weren't any soldiers wherever that was.

The two men stared each other down, their glares so intense and hateful there might as well have been poison in between. The Captain was the first to speak.

"One of my men told me you'd returned," he said, his voice so low that it forced the other to listen closely, "I wanted to tear out his heart for lying to me, because I knew you weren't that stupid. Apparently, I was wrong."

The other leered. He readied his hammer, bringing it down from his shoulder and holding it at an angle.

"If I weren't so stupid, Captain, I would be dead now."

"All the better that way, no? Bookman..."

"..." The Bookman readied his hammer, raising it above his head. Tyki Mikk dodged the weapon as it swung at him from above, using the moment to lung himself at his opponent. The red haired man barely had time for a blink before the Captain's arm reached out and disappeared behind his chest. His remaining eye widened, shocked that he could be that easily defeated. No! NO! Not yet - there was no way. He could not be overthrown by this man, he still...

"Too slow,"

Captain Mikk withdrew his arm, bringing with it a fleshy-looking object. It twitched slightly in his grasp. Captain Mikk looked pleasantly at the Bookman, knowing that he had won. The Bookman stared back. It was a heart. His heart.

"Enjoy hell," the Captain's pleasant smile twisted into a frown, "Or not."

The Bookman's eyes quivered a moment, trying to make sense of it all. Captain Mikk was holding his heart, but...

He still felt it beating in his chest.

He felt a weight against his back, something sliding down his body and slumping on the floor behind him. His whole body snapped around and trembled in horror at the sight before him.

"Master..." he said weakly, dropping to his knees, his hammer making a loud clang as it too dropped. The elderly man's form twitched as his body tried to make sense of the lost organ.

"Stupid apprentice..." the old man managed to say, very quietly, "Bookmen... have no need... for a..."

His last word was lost on his lips as the old man's form went limp.

"..."

Captain Mikk watched them, enthralled. He eyed the heart that was still twitching feebly in his hand.

"So this is a Bookman's heart," he murmured, observing it with amusement, "And here I thought these didn't exist." The red-head's eye snapped open, and he lunged off the floor with incredible speed and force. Mikk, not expecting such a quick reaction, received a devastating punch to the jaw that sent him tearing backward. The remaining Akuma took this as a signal to attack, and bullets showered the pub. The Bookman quickly gathered his hammer and raised it in front of him and his dead master, spinning it like a propellor and deflecting the poisonous projectiles.

"_Hi..._" the Bookman yelled, composing his hammer and raising it high above his head, "_...ban!_" The now giant mallet slammed into the floorboards, spreading with it an even larger pattern that surrounded the area around the tavern. Not moments later did a plethora of flames shoot up from the ground in the form of a wolf. It's unheard howl brought an assurance of his fury unleashed as the flames spun and twisted, filing all remaining Akuma in an abrupt end.

* * *

"I won't hurt you, I'm a wonderful person!" Allen pleaded, tugging at the reigns of the horse. The knights, or rather, the Akuma had left their mounts here as they infiltrated the tavern. Moving on to the next steed, he again pulled at the reigns, even trying to mount the beast.

"Nice pony... sweet pony..." It resisted, grumbling and snorting grumpily at the young boy. "Come here..."

Suddenly, a volcano of fire erupted in the distance. Immensely startled by the flames (which Allen didn't seem to notice), the horse reared up, swinging it's hooves at the Allen, who stumbled back and nearly avoided being kicked. As the horses galloped away in fear, he glared at the creatures, picking himself up and brushing away the dirt from his tunic. Allen huffed, giving up and turning toward the road.

"Fine! I'll just walk, then! I don't need your help anyway! Filthy strumpets!" he growled, and true to his word, began walking away.

"See, Mana, I'm still walking. That's who I am. It's what I do. I'll just keep walking, Mana. I won't stop. Can't stop," Allen spoke aloud as if there was a person named Mana walking beside him. And judging by the circumstances, Allen must have truly thought just that. Walker - it was his name.

He slowed his pace as he heard the cry of a hawk from above. It flew above him, screeching as if greeting him, and then soared ahead. Allen watched it fly.

"Oh, Mana, if only I were a bird, too," He sighed, cerulean eyes filled with jealousy for the creature. He then heard the pounding of horseshoes against the dirt. Blinking, Allen turned to see the unknown man who had saved him earlier from the Akuma.

"No, no! No no no!" He cried out, his legs breaking into a run. Sure, he had saved his life and allowed him escape, but what reason was that to trust him? The man gained on him, and before Allen could so much as get another of his protests out, he felt the fabric of his tunic gather and he was pulled up easily across the saddle. His hands immediately found the saddle horn, and he clung to it as if his very life depended upon it. Probably did, too. The position he was in allowed him to see past the flare of the man's black cloak. Two of Mikk's mounted men were giving pursuit. Allen could tell they were among his human companions - his eye had no reaction to their presence at all.

"I hope you're holding that tightly," the man warned, and Allen looked forward. Up ahead, another of Mikk's men was locking up a fence that would usually end the road. Despite the new obstacle, the man showed no signs that he intended to slow down.

"Oh, Mana, please forgive me - I didn't know!" Allen shut his eyes tight as the fence neared them. The black-clad man gave a swift kick to the horse and the beast launched itself off the ground. It's form soared over the fence, taking the knight who had locked it by surprise. As he fumbled to draw his sword, the red-head's fist coupled with the force of the his mount were enough to send his bloodied helmet flying. As they galloped away, Allen peered back at the unconscious knight. The two they had lost at the fence were working on unlocking it, but the bird from before swooped down out of nowhere and knocked them both to the dirt in surprise.

"No way..." he mumbled, as the mysterious man took them both far from the scene. Allen gazed up at his kidnapper, but was unable to see his eyes. He was gazing up at the one hidden by that eye patch. In all the excitement, his black headband had slipped off and was sitting loosely around the man's neck. Now his hair fell naturally around his head, wild and fiery despite the fact that it was the dark shade of blood. The hawk flew above them, cries piercing the air.

What Allen didn't see was that the man had his eye not on the road ahead, but on the hawk. Allen could not see the sadness and guilt that jaded his gaze as he watched the bird ride on the wind.

_"Focus, Lavi," Bookman hissed, not averting his gaze off of his own journal. Lavi snapped out of his stupor, turning his eyes from the window. _

_"Y-yes, sorry," he apologized, refocusing his eye on the paper. He raised his only visible brow, having discovered that he had hardly written anything at all. _Stop getting yourself distracted_, he reminded himself, holding his quill in his left hand and dabbing it into the inkwell. Taking a moment to recover his thoughts, the feather flew across the paper once again. His eye had changed colour, paling and forming a bright blue ring around his iris. The memories played like a movie in his thoughts, and Lavi extracted the finer points and translated them into the ink. _

_**Large, round machinery with guns protruding from all around their bodies, able to bend at their will... the bullets are poisonous... half of the citizens of the city were face down in the dirt... skin was dotted with black stars... the infection spreads quickly, corroding every aspect of it until... the survivors gathered around the lost ones... she was knelt on the ground mourning her parents... **_

_Bookman gazed up momentarily from his own work to inspect the progress his apprentice was making. As he himself did not have the same ability of photographic memory, he was well aware of his surroundings even while he wrote. Lavi, however, was in a trace-like state, his left hand scratching rapidly at the paper, pausing only to change the page. Bookman couldn't help but sense hesitation. He stood and walked slowly over to his small, candle-lit desk and gazed down at the parchment._

_'...beautiful, long, dark hair. She lives with her brother, who is a cobbler, and assists him by taking care of the horses and making deliveries into town with him. I've never talked to her, but I've watched her from the window of this church house. My God, it's beautiful the way she seems to connect with nature. Animals seem to hate me. Even when she's bathing that chestnut one I can't help but feel all the blood in my body gather at my...'_

_Bookman sighed, shutting his journal and running it over the top of his apprentice's head. His eye quickly shifted back to it's normal colour, and he looked up in shock. Bookman glared at him. Lavi glanced down at his journal, eye widening at what he had written. _

_"Oh, I..."_

_Both knew that there was absolutely no reason for him to have been so unfocused on his work. Bookman snatched up the journal and swiftly chucked it into the fireplace. Lavi watched it burn, a grim expression setting in. Bookman narrowed his panda-like eyes._

_"Now you will buy a new one. You must rewrite everything you have previously recorded with your focused mind. You will leave out all... personal history. That is not the nature of a Bookman. Any more screw ups, there will be severe consequences. Understood?"_

_Lavi eyed the floor, abashed. _

_"Yes master," he said in a small voice, knowing this was his master being nice._

_"Go. Do not return until you're ready to work again."_

_Outside, the air was crisp and cool, warning the land of the approaching winter. He sighed, his breath forming a cloud under his chin. Pulling the thin clothing he wore tightly over his shoulders, he crossed his arms over his chest. He needed to clear his thoughts. If he was to be a Bookman, he could not allow his mind to drift the way it did. What was wrong with him? He turned his head, searching the surroundings for a place he would find a new journal. This wasn't working... there was no way he would find something like that here, of all places. It would be rare to find anybody in this backwash village who could read, much less write. How frustrating..._

_"May I help you?" said a female voice. Lavi looked up. His cheeks immediately became red at the sight. _

_"Imi pare rau…" he trailed of, realizing that the girl was speaking Italian. He quickly adjusted his tongue._

_"Sorry, I didn't realize!" he apologized to the beautiful Asian girl. Her long, dark hair was tied back into pigtails. _My God, she's so cute_, Lavi thought. He mentally slapped himself. He was better than that - no, he was a Bookman! He shouldn't be thinking that way in the first place. The teen girl gave him a confused look._

_"Well if you don't mind, could you please move away from the stables? I think you're scaring the horses, and I need to feed them now," she asked, motioning toward said stables. Lavi quickly jumped aside. Apparently he had wandered too close while lost in his thoughts._

_"I- I'm sorry for invading," he apologized again. The girl turned her head and gave him a warm smile._

_"That's fine."_

_Lavi felt his heart racing in his chest. He watched her feed the vegetables to the horses, petting their noses and laughing as their tongues flopped out, searching for more goodies. She then proceeded to fill the bin with food._

_"You seem interested," she observed, again freeing Lavi from his rapture, "Do you like horses?"_

_"Yeah," he lied. The girl shot him another of those warm smiles that gave him butterflies._

_"I'm Lenalee Lee," she continued as she approached him, "I've never seen you before. Are you from around here? You must be from Romania."_

_Of course she would think that. His last log was written while he traveled in Romania, and having spent his recent three years in that country, he had quickly picked up on the language and it had become a habit to speak it. Being who he was, Lavi knew many languages. He had been to almost every country in the African and Asian continent, as well as Russia and most of Europe, and had spoken every language and dialect that was used in each._

_"My grandfather and I are travelers," he replied, "So we're from a lot of places." He finished with a little chuckle. Lenalee seemed fascinated. He actually had answered honestly - well, most of it was true, anyway._

_"I've always wanted to travel," Lenalee admitted, looking dreamily toward the sky. Lavi could see the spark in her almond eyes. She then turned them on his. _

_"I want to see more of the world than just this little place. The only traveling I ever do is making deliveries to the city," she pointed to the tall, shadowy bell tower in the distance that Lavi recognized as the Grand Cathedral of Aquila, "Maybe someday I'll be able to get out of here and see rest of the world!"_

_He felt a strange pain in his conscience. Lavi might go crazy if he was ever confined to one place, he knew. _

_"Don't you ever think of just running away?" Lavi asked, before catching himself. Lenalee gave him a solemn look, but still maintained a smile._

_"Yes, actually… but," she sighed, "My brother needs me. This whole village needs…" She trailed off, looking at the ground with discomfort. "Er, nevermind that." When Lavi gave her a puzzled look, she smiled, waving it off._

_"No, really, it's nothing!" she exclaimed. Lavi could sense the nervousness that accompanied her voice, but he did nothing to address the matter._

_"Say..." she said, eying him, "I never got your name."_

_Lavi looked at her. What should he tell her? He really didn't have a name. Well, not a true name. Just an alias._

_"Lavi."_

"Hey, there must be somebody at home, I see smoke. Are you sure you don't want to ride on? There's still plenty of light."

The voice of the younger boy broke Lavi out of his reverie, and he turned to glare at the annoying kid. It hadn't taken the boy long to lose his initial fear of not only riding a horse but of Lavi himself, and since then hadn't slowed his prattling mouth one bit. Lavi hadn't exactly been paying attention to all of it, but he did catch the boy announcing his name as Allen Walker "the Mouse", and proceeded to drift off as he was told the boy's life story.

"Quit your chattering, will you?" Lavi pleaded, exasperation masking his voice. "We'll spend the night here."

The house, Lavi noted, was as ugly a hovel he'd ever seen in his life - and he'd practically been around the world. It was merely a shack consisting of old rotting wood held up by a straw roof with small indications that it may have held tiles once upon a time. The barn was nothing more than a jumbled collection of sticks tied together with a cloth canvas overhead. He caught sight of a few neglected and hungry animals, which could probably be blamed on a plague, although Lavi seriously doubted this place had ever once been prosperous. A tall, lanky man holding an axe approached the duo, followed by his portly wife at whom he hissed at to leave him be (_"Get back, wench,"_). Lavi visibly cringed, realizing they would not be receiving a warm welcome here. He wasn't sure if he had much choice either, because as far as he could tell, there was no roof (or anything like one) for miles around, and above all else, he needed a much deserved vacation from Allen's endless stream of annoying consciousness.

"Good evening, sir, milady. My comrade-in-arms and I are in need of lodging for the night." Judging by the sour look on the farmer's face, Lavi could tell it was almost pointless to use such polite words with these people.

"No," the farmer growled, "No place for you here. Go, get." He waved his axe at them as if in warning.

"We'll pay, of course," Lavi said, holding up a small pouch filled with a poor amount of coppers.

"We are not above compassion to those in misery," Allen added, but received a pointed glare from Lavi that told him to shut his mouth. However, true to Allen's description of their sad conditions, it seemed any amount of money could be considered a fortune to them. The farmer reached up and snatched the pouch right out of Lavi's grip.

"You may sleep down there, in the barn."

Despite the hostile tone in the farmer's voice, Lavi bowed his head only slightly.

"Thank you."

* * *

**Alright, first of all, a note about his flashback. I know I threw in a theory about Lavi's ability that I nabbed from episode 82 as he was locating Tyki's key. Please don't kill me, it's just a theory! **

**Next, I'm sorry about Bookman, but it had to be done. It was part of the story. :(  
**

**Now that I've gotten capitulo tres out of the way, I'll be uploading part four next week! Again, this one also makes fine progress in the plot, and I believe it is also as long as (or longer) this one. Until then, take a moment to review and tell me what you think. Even if you don't like it, I'm always game for constructive criticism!**

_Next up!:_ _Lavi's return does not go unnoticed, and Tyki Mikk has his eyes on the Bookman. Meanwhile, Allen is fed up with Lavi and his horse! But maybe running away isn't such a good idea- there are wolves roaming the night, after all._


	4. To the Wolves

**JANUARY 4TH, 2011:**_** I can't believe that after 3 years I'm still obsessing over fixing the little mistakes or wording I find a bit cheesy in this story. o-o**_

**Yay for internet cafes! Internet on the road! :) I daresay whoever thought of such a thing should be thrice commended- no- infinity commended! I'd like to also thank everyone for all the kind reviews, it's really keeping me motivated.  
**

* * *

"Oi, Lavi, are you there? Hey, Lavi -"

Allen found the wanderer hidden away inside an unused horse stall, tending to his hawk; her face was covered by a leather hood that allowed her to sleep. He had to fully turn his head to face the younger boy, as he again stood to the man's blind side.

"Ah, there you are! Well I'm all finished setting up a decent place to sleep. If there's nothing else I can do, I'll just go ahead and turn in for the night." Lavi leaned his upper body out of the stall, crossing his arms over the gate and facing the white-haired boy. Allen sensed he wouldn't just let him off that easily, especially after having stuck his neck out to rescue him.

"You can take care of my horse," Lavi suggested, although the way he said it meant it was rather an order. Allen hesitated, nodding. He hated large animals.

"And sleep with one eye open! Don't disturb me - I'm liable to take your head off before I'll know it's you." Lavi added in warning. Allen wasn't sure if it was Lavi's morbid sense of humor, but he decided it was best not to find out.

"All right, then..." He gingerly approached the black horse and took hold of the reigns, tugging on them to lead the beast away. The horse wouldn't budge, and Allen was forced to tug harder on the reigns. Lavi watched, slightly amused by his efforts.

"Come on, old girl," when the horse still resisted, Allen glanced over at Lavi. "Stubborn little lady! What's her name?"

"_His_ name is Goliath."

Allen raised a brow, bending his knees to lower himself to the ground. Looking under the horse, his eyes widened in surprise and he shot back up.

"_His_ name! Pretty name, Goliath,"

Lavi shook his head, opening the gate and approaching his horse. He pet the animal's snout to reassure him.

"Go with him, boy, he didn't mean to hurt your feelings." At last, the horse gave a small snort and finally followed Allen toward the brook.

"So, Goliath, before we get to know each other better, I feel I should tell you a story about a little Romanian man named Aryster..." Allen blabbered, walking away.

Lavi returned to his stall, eye resting on his hawk. She seemed oblivious to his presence as he stood there. Lavi stared at her sadly, looking up only as the red rays pierced through the cracks between the seedy walls. His single green eye peered at the setting sun, casting a shadow on his forlorn and tired expression.

"One day..." he whispered, watching the star sink under the horizon.

* * *

"_Comrade-in-arms!_" Allen huffed, bending down to pick up more firewood, "_Slave_ is more like it! See to the fire, feed my horse, gather the wood... Look at me now, Mana! I guess I was better off in the dungeons of Aquila! My cellmate was insane - and I think he was even a _murderer_ - but at least he _respected _me!"

Darkness had long since claimed the sky, and here he was, gathering firewood instead of his much-needed sleep.

"He's a strange one, Lavi. Why did he save my life? He wants something from me - I can see it in his eye. Well, whatever it is, I'm not going to do it!" Allen exclaimed decisively, defiantly throwing the firewood to the ground and strolling off into the woods. "I'm still young, Mana! I've got _prospects_! I'm off to find my golden future, Lavi, so goodbye and good riddan-"

His bitter farewell came to a screeching halt as he heard a twig snap nearby. Allen paused, startled when the noises continued. He gulped, suspecting soldiers... or worse.

"Hello...?" his small voice didn't carry out very far. He cleared his throat. "Who do you think is out there? You ought to draw your sword, Reever. Ah, Tapp, you brought your crossbow!" Allen lowered his voice significantly to sound bigger and stronger than he actually was as he spoke to his imaginary men, "We'll all head back to the base now, alright?"

"Alright."

"Alright."

(He had answered himself in two different voices.)

"Show no mercy, Reever! Take no prisoners! I'm going to get some help!" Allen took off in a mad dash as the footsteps grew louder. His sprint took him back to the decaying old barnyard. He ducked behind the shed and peered out from around the corner. He saw nothing behind him except for the woods he had just run from. A sigh of relief escaped his lungs. He backed up, hand over his chest, and bumped into something. He gasped, whirling on the spot. The figure of the farmer towered over him, his axe raised high above his head, ready to strike.

"_Ahh!_" Allen yelled, his Innocence activating and held over his head to deflect the blow. But the attack never came. Instead, the farmer was brought to the dirt by a growling, dark mass of fur. Allen stumbled back, thoroughly frightened, and scrambled inside the barn yelling at the top of his lungs for Lavi, who didn't seem to be there.

"Lavi, Lavi! Lavi, Lavi, Lavi! Wolf, wolf, wolf! Lavi! Wolf!" Allen yelled in his panic, searching all over the barn for his companion. He threw open the gate to the stall he was previously occupying, knocking over the perch where the hawk had once been. His cerulean eyes darted about, not finding the red-haired man anywhere.

"_Damn!_" Allen climbed the ladder leading to the second floor of the barn. The shabby floorboards creaked under his weight as he stumbled to the window overlooking the yard. His arm changed into a gun and he took aim at the dark beast. Just as he was about to shoot, a slender hand appeared and gently touched his shoulder. Allen calmed as he saw Lavi's black cloak, but nearly pissed himself when it was a girl's face that peered out from under the hood.

"Miss! You don't want to go out there! Don't! There's a wolf - a big wolf - the biggest wolf you'll ever see! And a dead man..." Allen warned her, but she silenced him with a raised finger to her rosy lips.

"I know," her voice was soft and young. Allen gaped at her. What was such a beautiful girl doing out at this hour in the night? In the woods no less...

Her almond eyes wandered to the wolf outside, who had busied itself with tearing out the man's jugular. She then turned and made her way toward the beast.

"Miss please!" Allen yelped, attempting to follow her. He forgot to change his arm back though, so as he descended the ladder, he fell and landed in a pile of straw on the barn floor.

"Miss! Miss! Come back! Oh, Mana… Oh no, no… He'll murder me. Maybe I'm dreaming. But... my eyes are open, which means I'm probably awake, dreaming that I'm asleep. Or, or more likely, I'm asleep, dreaming I'm awake and wondering if I'm dreaming?"

"You _are_ dreaming."

Allen raised his head, eyes widening at the sight before him. Out in the yard, the girl and the wolf were walking together in silence. The girl knelt down and gently laid her hand on the wolf, who pressed it's muzzle into her wrist affectionately. Allen felt lightheaded.

"She's right… I'm dreaming. I must be… I see stars…"

The girl and the wolf disappeared into the night.

* * *

"We'll stop now, not a great day for traveling."

Allen looked down from atop Goliath as Lavi guided the horse with his right hand holding the reigns, the hawk perched on his left. The day was, once again, dark and dreary with a serving of poor weather. The wind blew lightly, chilling Allen and rustling the few life remaining among the winter flora. The strange man had reappeared mysteriously at the break of dawn, and insisted that they left right away. The farmer's wife seemed to take no interest in the corpse of her husband lying in a sprawled out, bloody mess in her yard. Instead, she only watched as the pair rode away, wondering somewhere in her mind whether there was any more of that money she could get out of Lavi. They hadn't made it far before Lavi deemed the weather too poor to travel in.

"Come on girl, come on. I mean boy. Come on Goliath, it's chilly out here," Allen spoke to the horse as he attempted to secure him to a tree. "I could do with a rest myself, after what happened last night."

Lavi looked up from his spot on the ground where he had settled down, stroking the feathers of his hawk.

"That wolf almost killed me, it was awful! But he tore the farmer's throat out, and left me alone." Lavi flashed him a half smile, shrugging. He returned his attention to the hawk perched on his wrist.

"And there was more. There was a girl, too," Allen said, finally succeeding in tying the horse to the tree and proceeding to drape a blanket of wool over his back where the saddle had been. They had bought it from the farmer's wife for a few more coppers before they had left. Although Lavi was still watching the hawk, the news of there being a girl involved seemed to hold his interest.

"She was like fine porcelain, with deep brown eyes like a bird's. And her voice - it was as if an angel spoke," Allen recollected. Lavi finally looked up, his expression indescribable.

"She spoke?" His voice a mere whisper. Allen blinked, leaning on Goliath. It was the first time he heard Lavi speak in such a soft, non-aggressive tone. "What did she say?"

"I asked her if I was dreaming, and she said that I was," Lavi let out a small chuckle. Allen crossed his arms, glaring at him.

"I'm not insane! You must believe me when I tell you these things!"

"I believe you," Lavi admitted, gazing at him honestly, "I believe in dreams." He leaned back into the tree, pulling the hood over his eyes. Allen watched him.

"I... see..." Allen settled himself down in the tree across from the mysterious man named Lavi. Maybe it was just a hunch, but Allen suspected he knew something, and Lavi wasn't telling him what it was.

"This lady..." Lavi started, his eye peering out at him from under the shade of his hood, "...did she perhaps have a name?"

"Not that she mentioned... why do you ask?" Lavi shook his head, resting his left hand that held the hawk over his chest.

"Well, she may wander into my dreams. Wouldn't it be nice if I could call her by name and pretend that we've met before?" He gazed at Allen, an odd longing apparent in his pensive gaze. "I've waited a long time for such a lady." Allen couldn't help but notice the matching tone in his voice.

"Get some rest," he said abruptly, "The birds will alert us if anything comes."

Allen sighed, realizing he had dropped the subject. He gazed up at the dreary clouds as the first drops of rain fell from the sky.

_'Oh, Mana, I've got to be out of my mind.' _He thought, eyes shutting. He was sure of it now. Lavi was hiding something important from him - and was going to find out what that something was. One way or another.

_"Hey, wait, Lenalee!" The girl looked over her shoulder to find the red head riding up next to her. She giggled lightly at his expense. _

_"You have a bad habit of falling behind, don't you?" she teased, and Lavi blushed. Now that winter had arrived, the once vibrant green fields were blanketed with a thin layer of snow. It was the unique beauty that could only be seen in the icy season._

_"It's alright, though. We're almost there," she promised, smiling._

_"Where are we going?" Lavi asked, looking up ahead. The mountains in the distance were positively covered with nature's flurry, the forest below seeming almost a lifeless beauty._

_"You'll see! It's a surprise!" She giggled, giving her chestnut horse a light kick to the side and speeding ahead._

_"Ah - hey!" Lavi did the same, his horse galloping up behind hers. He looked over at her smiling face and wondered if there was anything as beautiful in this world. No - of course not. He had seen it all and she was the first girl that he could call beautiful. Who would have thought he'd fall for a sixteen-year-old girl? What would his master say? Surely he would disapprove, and Lavi would be severely punished. But as long as he kept their relationship a secret..._

_"In here!" she said, ducking into a cave and motioning for him to follow. Slightly disturbed by the choice of location, Lavi dismounted and followed her into it's dark interior._

_"Watch your step," she cautioned, and Lavi nodded. The cave was narrow and winded, and there were points where they were forced to crawl on their hands and knees to pass through the small opening. In a sick way, those were the most exciting parts of their journey, in Lavi's opinion. Finally they reached a sharp turn in the cave with a small light shimmering on the wall. Lenalee held out and arm to stop Lavi, and he halted behind her. She turned and smiled, which Lavi could barely make out because of the little light from whatever was in the next room._

_"This place..." she began, sounding pensive, "I've never told anybody about it. Much less showed anyone. I always come here when I want to get away. Look, Lavi."_

_His emerald eye widened. In the midst of the room was what appeared to be a miniature pond, the water so clear that you could see all the way to the bottom. On the ceiling was a slight crack in the rock that seemed to go up for several yards, however, just enough that it allowed a sliver of light to enter the room. However, what was most incredible about it was the large crystals and gems lining the walls, reflecting the light that shone through the crack and evolving it into an incredible light show._

_Lenalee appeared behind the speechless red head._

_"Well? What do you think?" Lavi's mouth was in the distinctive shape of an 'O'._

_"It's... excellent..." he said, turning and looking down at the girl, who gazed up at him warmly._

_"It's a secret - remember that!" she reminded him. Lavi then gazed at the water._

_"Wait, it's steaming?"_

_"It's a hot spring," Lenalee explained, blushing. She eyed him._

_"I was hoping maybe you would..." she was now so red she could compete with Lavi's hair, "...perhaps..."_

_"Swim with you?" Lavi guessed. Lenalee nodded, her cheeks even redder, if that was possible. Lavi's lips curled._

_"Love to."_

_It wasn't three awkward minutes later of apologies, lewd grins, and embarrassed looks that the clothes were finally gone, resting on opposite sides of the room. Both were sitting in the lukewarm water, on opposite sides of the spring. Lenalee was still red from all the progress she had made, even having gotten him in the pool with her. Lavi was enjoying every moment, taking it as it came. Two minutes of silence passed before she couldn't take it any longer. Lenalee gripped the edge of the spring and carried herself across the water, closer to Lavi._

_"Lavi… I want to know this. What happened to your eye?" _

_The uncomfortable question reached Lavi's ears almost immediately, and his emerald eye opened up and gazed at her. _

_"What do you mean?" _

_"You always keep it covered up. Is it an injury?" Lavi considered for a moment before answering._

_"You could say that." Lenalee winced._

_"Was it painful? Losing your eye?"_

_"Not particularly?" Lavi replied, unsure how to describe it. Lenalee grimaced, moving closer._

_"How come? One would expect the loss of an eye, of all things, to be… well, painful." Lavi gave her a half smile, scooting himself toward her._

_"I don't exactly remember how it felt. I was very young at the time. I guess I was lucky since I never really knew what it was like to see with two eyes," Lavi said. Lenalee looked shaken._

_"S-sorry..." Lavi apologized._

_"No, it's alright. I'm the one who asked. I just can't imagine only having one eye to see with," She admitted. Lavi felt his heart leap as she rested her head on his bare shoulder._

_"You're really smart, how do you know so much? I've heard you speak in about ten different languages, already. I'm still not even sure where you're from. There's so much I don't know about you, Lavi. How are you such a mystery?" She snuggled into his shoulder, resting her hand over his beating heart. Lavi wanted to tell her the truth. The truth that, he, Lavi, was a descendant of the Bookman clan, and that eventually he would have to throw her away, his only memory of her being the ink on his paper. But no - he didn't want to tell her. He couldn't. He wouldn't. _

_Lavi was pulled out of his thoughts as Lenalee took hold of both sides of his head and pulled him down, pressing her lips into his in a mind-blowing kiss. He didn't resist. He didn't want to. The moment could last an decade and he wouldn't mind at all. He kissed her back, writing a novel on her lips as she returned the favor, coiling her arms around his neck to officially close the distance between them. Lavi did the same, his hand finding a good spot in her hair and his other arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to him. And he didn't want to let go. Not ever._

_They say a Bookman has no need for a heart. But nobody ever said he couldn't use it anyway._

* * *

Tyki Mikk sauntered into the Cathedral, soaking wet and dirtied with the mud. The Earl was not going to like this, oh, no. It was painful, the thought of simply delivering more bad news to his Lord. But it was his job, the Captain reminded himself once again. It was his duty. Sensing his arrival, the Earl turned his attention from the lush courtyard and eyed Mikk questioningly, looking him up and down and certainly wondering why the hell he was tracking mud on his polished marble floors.

"Have you captured him? Allen Walker?" The Earl asked as Mikk knelt before him.

"He is not in my custody at this time," Mikk answered gravely, looking up.

"Then why, Captain, do you invade my garden, unwashed, unshaven? Do you think to find him here?" The Earl inquired, irritation setting in. Mikk frowned.

"Bookman has returned." The Earl seemed visibly stunned. He furrowed his brows in disbelief.

"Walk with me," he ordered. Captain Mikk rose to his feet and followed the man across the courtyard as he observed his collection of flora.

"The criminal, Walker, travels with him. My men are combing the woods."

"And the hawk?" The Earl asked, pausing and dramatically turning to face Mikk. The Captain blinked, unsure how to respond.

"Your Grace?"

The Earl rounded on him.

"There must be a hawk. A spirited hawk. She is not to be harmed, understood?" The Captain nodded slowly, shaken at the intensity of the Earl's voice. "You see, for the day she dies, Mikk, a new Captain of the Guard will preside at your execution."

Mikk nodded again in understanding.

"And.. the Bookman, milord?"

"I care not how you kill him," The Earl growled darkly, turning to a guard that stood by the door to his garden.

"You! Bring me Kamelot!" The guard jumped slightly at the sudden command, but raised his hand in salute.

"Yes, Your Grace! At once!"

* * *

**Alright, there's part four. Part five on the way. We'll see when I can get it up. Real soon, I hope! Tell me what you thought and review! Thankies!**

_Next up!: Freedom was short-lived, indeed. Lavi thinks he's being troubled more than he should, especially when looking after that brat named Allen cost him more than it was worth (in his humble opinion, at least)._


	5. A Snake in the Mass

**UPDATE JULY 29TH, 2012:   
_This story is about 4 years old now. Wow! I've once again found the time to go over some of the details. I've been reading the reviews for this story very carefully and have decided to make some big revisions on this. :) In the long run, I believe it will be much better after I am finished. As for this particular chapter, enjoy the newly polished read!_**

* * *

Allen awoke with a thunderous yawn that stirred Goliath from his slumber, and the horse nibbled at his white hair.

"Oi- you, knock it off!" Allen laughed, freeing his hair from the horse's lips and standing up. He stretched, cracking the tired bones in his body that had formed after sleeping against the trunk of a tree. Despite the fact that it was a rather uncomfortable place to settle for the night, Allen actually received a good night's sleep for the first time in several weeks. In fact, he felt so, good, he decided to get a head start on his chores. Again, Lavi seemed to have disappeared for the night, but it didn't bother him so much since the man had left his belongings as well as his horse with him, and so he had no doubt he would wander back for them eventually.

Soon, most of the camp had been taken care of. Goliath had been fed and watered, the fire put out, water supplies replenished, and Allen even went as far as collecting firewood for the next stop. However, he hadn't an axe to cut the logs with.

"Well, bother," Allen searched the surroundings for something he could use. Finding nothing, he changed his arm into the giant black claw, slamming it down into the log. Well, it certainly cut apart... but at the jauntiest manner possible. Not satisfied, Allen had a sudden idea. He searched Lavi's knapsack that, strangely, he hadn't bothered taking with him (wherever he went off to) and withdrew the miniature hammer. Well, as small as it was, it looked more like a mallet. Nonetheless, it had a sharp point at the end. Allen positioned the point in the center of the log, then slammed his claw into it, causing the wood to split into two separate halves. Allen rejoiced, pleased with his handy work. Whaddya know? It worked just like a wedge!

He again positioned the hammer onto the log and raised his claw to split it again, but a hand reached from behind, moving his extremity and causing the claw to miss and split the log wrong again. Lavi tore the hammer from his grip, the weapon growing slightly as if greeting its master's return. Allen returned his claw to its original form, slightly embarrassed.

"You're a parasite..." Lavi observed. Allen nodded slowly. Lavi sighed, swinging his hammer in a circular motion. Allen gaped as a series of neon lights burst forth from gems embedded into it, forming a halo around its likeness. Lavi pointed into the light, a bright red one. The color responded to his touch, flaring up around his digit like a hungry snake.

"Allen, do you know what this is?" Lavi inquired. When Allen was silent, Lavi continued.

"It represents the element of fire. This gem was passed to me from my... recently deceased master." Allen listened intently as Lavi pointed out another glowing gem, one that was white like a pearl.

"This one represents Heaven. It took its place after a good friend of mine." Lavi then pointed to an empty augment, his emerald eye narrowing. "This..." his voice was significantly more sour. "This one should represent Life."

Allen eyed him.

"You don't think I took it?"

"No. It's mine to fill," Lavi answered, "Each augment is formed only when a certain quest is fulfilled."

"And what is your quest?"

Lavi seemed to be lost in his thoughts a moment before his voice came out in an intent, dark mumble.

"I must kill a man."

Allen visibly twitched. "So, does this walking corpse have a name?" He asked. Lavi turned to look at him, a fire burning in his eye.

"His Grace, the Bishop of Aquila."

"The... Bishop..." Allen echoed, contemplating his reply, "You couldn't mean the Earl?" He sputtered in sudden recognition. Lavi nodded.

"To some, yes, he is known as that."

All desire to accompany Lavi in his travels suddenly left the boy. The last thing he'd ever want to see again was the city of Aquila, much less the man running the hell himself. He'd rather face his old master than return to the damned place.

"Oh... the Earl... huh..." Allen said slowly, gazing up at the man, "Well then it seems you have a lot to do, and I've already been enough of a burden to you. I do hope our paths cross again." Allen took a few steps backward, not taking his eye off of the warrior. Lavi's eye was still locked on him intently, a feeling of helplessness that Allen had never seen before hidden away in his bright oculus.

"I need you to guide me into the city," Lavi continued, his voice unwavering and serious.

"Not for the life of me!" Allen protested.

"You're the only person to ever escape from there," Lavi pointed out. Allen shook his snowy head defiantly.

"It was chance, Lavi, pure chance! It was a miracle! I fell down a hole and followed my nose!"

Lavi exhaled warily, which surprised Allen, whom was expecting a more aggressive reaction to his outburst.

"I've waited almost two years for a sign from heaven," Lavi said, "And when I heard the warning bells of Aquila ring out, I knew the moment of my destiny had come. You will be my guiding angel."

"_Me?_" Allen once again cried out in disbelief. Lavi was totally serious about this. "Lavi, the truth is, I talk to an angel all the time. And no offense, but he never mentioned you."

"No?"

"There are strange forces at work in your life, magical ones that surround you. I don't understand them, but they frighten me to no end. Lavi, you have given me my life. But another truth is that I can never repay you. I have no form of honor, and never will. I honestly hope that you won't kill me for being what I am. But, better that fate then to ever return to Aquila." Having finished, he turned around and made to walk off, but stopped in his tracks as a loud crack resounded from mere inches above his head. Looking up, he noticed the giant hammer of Lavi's that had collided with the tree, easily snapping it in half. Allen turned, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Lavi was looking at him indifferently, daring him to continue.

"I- I'll just go gather some wood for the fire."

* * *

"Got you!"

The girl cried in triumph, holding the rabbit down. After a long chase and finally some results, she was feeling rather proud of herself. Now all she had to do was kill it and cook it over the fire. She hadn't eaten a cooked hare in a while... mostly she had been eating nuts and berries, and was tired of the same thing every night.

"Miss? My lady, up here!"

The girl jumped in surprise, setting her prey free. The rabbit bounded off into the woods as fast as it's little legs could carry it.

"Oh, damn!" the girl swore, watching it get away. Angrily she glared up at the boy whom had interfered.

"Do you remember me?" The girl blinked, standing. Alas, she _did_ recognize the boy. White hair, cerulean eyes, a star-shaped scar...

"What are you doing up there?" she inquired, pushing the disappointing catch from her mind.

"What am I doing?" the teen repeated, sounding a bit too cocky for his own good. She crossed her arms in amusement. "Well, you might ask that. You see, it was the Earl's guards - a dozen of them - there was a terrible fight."

She smirked, playing along with his little game. "Really? So why didn't they kill you?"

"Why didn't they? Well that's a good question! I asked them that myself."

"And...?"

"And?"

"And what did they say?"

"They said that..." Allen hesitated a moment, wincing as he tried to shift his arm, but couldn't due to the tightly bound rope holding him to the trunk, "That they would prefer to leave the honor to the Earl. They'll be coming back."

The girl raised a brow. Allen grumbled, kicking his legs ineffectively. He gave up his little act and resorted to simply begging.

"Please, my lady? A huge owl examined me closely not a minute ago." The girl still eyed him, contemplating his request. Allen put on the most innocent face possible.

"Please?" Finally she yielded, dropping her arms against her sides. Her boots adopted an eerie green glow. Allen watched, mystified as the girl rose up, lifting her leg over the rope. She heard the howl of a wolf somewhere in the distance and hesitated.

"Listen, you really should stay close..." she added, dropping on his bindings and slicing them cleanly apart. Before she could return to a standing position, the white-haired boy was gone with a resounding cackle.

"_You're very kind, my lady, thank you very much! Tell Lavi he ties a wicked knot!_"

"OoOoh..." Lenalee groaned, leaning against the tree, "He's going to kill me."

_The door opened with a graceful form of excitement. The man brushed the dark hair out of his face as he looked up from his work to see what caused the event. A smile passed his lips as Lenalee spun happily into the room, humming to herself. Nothing on earth __could please him more than to see his baby sister with a smile on her face. Komui Lee set aside the small mallet he had been using and strode over to the kitchen to greet his younger sister._

"_Welcome home, Lenalee," he said, warmly. Lenalee spun, startled. She hadn't noticed him as she came in._

"_Brother," she regarded him, running next to the man and wrapped him in her embrace. As they broke off, Komui noticed the dreamy expression on her face._

"_Where have you been all day? Not seeing anybody, are you?" he asked. Lenalee was silent for one suspicious moment. Komui frowned._

"_Well..." Lenalee started, turning and leaning against the counter, "...I've just been taking a walk, is all." Her brother didn't seem overly convinced by the story, but he didn't say anything about it, so Lenalee plowed on._

"_You didn't have any deliveries to make today, did you?" Komui prodded. _

"_Oh, I'm sorry, brother! Wait, look, there's still plenty of day left – I can still make it!" Lenalee nodded toward the open window, where the sun was slightly obscured by clouds and objects outside cast long shadows eastward. _

"_It will be night soon, Lenalee, too cold,"_

"_I can make it!"_

"_Wait- Lenalee!" Lenalee ignored his protests, running outside and rounding the small house to the stables. It really wasn't that cold out, Lenalee decided, propping the gate open in front of her chestnut horse. Komui always kept the shoes that were ready to be delivered in a long cupboard inside the stables. Opening the door to this compartment, Lenalee was relieved to find that it was actually a small shipment that would only take one horse to carry. She brushed the snow that covered the saddle pack hanging over the gate, opening the security flap and loading it with the new shoes. _

_As she secured it to the back of her horse's saddle, Komui appeared from around the house, panting. _

"_Lenalee, really, it's too cold out!" he whined, walking up to the gate. Lenalee mounted the horse and looked down at him. _

"_You worry too much, brother. It's okay, I won't take long. I'll be back before dark, alright?" As she spoke, she steered the horse out of the stable and kicked it into a slow gallop. In the distance, she could hear Komui shouting something about keeping to the road._

_The countryside was a short lived piece of land that was engulfed quite abruptly by the presence of Aquila. Despite the lacking in length, the journey to the city was a rather enjoyable one. Lenalee loved how nature had remained untouched around the forests and rivers surrounding the city. There were plenty of animals that resided in the woods, the one that she had followed the road to get around instead of charging straight through to Aquila on the other side. The road ran alongside the river, currently frozen and covered with snow. Lenalee knew a shortcut through the woods that effectively halved the amount of time to ride between Aquila and her home. However, she didn't want to go against Komui's wishes, and was forced to take the long way around._

_As she rounded the woods, she began wondering what Lavi was up to. After they said their farewells for the day, Lavi had made a show of returning to a small church on the hill. Lenalee glanced up, wondering if she could see it from here. Indeed, she spotted the tip of the steeple peering out over the woods from above. What did he do in there? Lavi was very cryptic about himself. Lavi would only give her small hints as to what occurred on the inside of the building. Even so, she still had no clue what he could be doing. Maybe he was into religion; it was her best guess since he was living in a church, after all. Like the Bishop..._

_The guards at the entrance to the city had come to recognize her, and as she approached, they smiled and waved to the girl before raising the gates for her. She smiled back politely as she entered. She found that the people of Aquila were fairly friendly and easy to get along with, which made her trips into the city worth her time. Since the shoes were for the acolytes in the Grand Cathedral, that was her destination. Just like the men at the main gates, the guards here opened the doors for her and let her into the courtyard._

"_Ah, miss Lee, some new shoes? How kind of you. It has been becoming quite a problem for the acolytes wearing doeskin around lately, not the warmest during this season," Lenalee turned as a hand reached over her own as she tried to free the luggage. A smile played across his features, moving to release the luggage that she had previously been struggling to unfasten._

"_Commander," she greeted, relieved that it was a familiar face. The man bowed, taking her delicate hand in his own and landing a kiss on the back of it. Lenalee blushed as he released it and her arm returned to her side._

"_His Grace is most pleased of your service," Mikk held the luggage that he so easily removed. _

"_Thank you, sir Mikk, but I can handle it," she took the bag from his arms and slung it around her shoulder. The Commander seemed disappointed, but said nothing of it and followed the girl into the Cathedral halls. Lenalee walked at a slightly faster pace, making sure to keep at least one step ahead of Mikk. Meanwhile, the Commander took the moment to admire her shapely backside. Her long, dark hair was down today, swaying back and forth across her back. The fleece tights she wore only reached down to her knees, met halfway by a pair of dark boots reaching up her calves. He thought it quite unusual for a girl such as herself to wear boots like that, but he couldn't find the nerve to ask her about it. Her top was white, and she wore a black coat reaching down past her hips. The fact that what she wore had been so unique was one of the many things that was attractive about her. Since Lenalee was a country girl, it was expected that she wouldn't act or dress like the wenches found in the city, but to some degree, she was perhaps the sexiest thing Mikk had ever seen._

"_Have you and your brother been well?" Mikk asked, looking for something to provoke a conversation. _

"_Brother is as he's always been," she replied. Mikk nodded, quickening his pace to walk beside her._

"_And you?"_

"_I've..." Lenalee trailed off as they rounded a corner and entered the main hall, where the Bishop sat at his station in the back. Sensing their arrival, he rose and chuckled heartily. _

"_Lenalee, my dear," he boomed, his voice carrying throughout the hall. _

"_Your Grace," Lenalee greeted, kissing the ring on his hand, "I've brought shoes."_

"_Ah, very good, dear, yes, good," the Earl chimed, clapping his hands. One of his men appeared and took the bag off her hands. _

"_Commander, I cannot bare to see this young lady go home without payment. See to it she has enough coins to feed her and her brother tonight. No, more than that. Enough to eat for a fortnight,"_

"_Milord," the Commander said, bowing and taking his leave. The Bishop waited until he was out of sight to return his attention to Lenalee._

"_His Grace is too kind," Lenalee offered politely, and the Bishop smiled._

"_There is nothing I can do can fully express my gratitude for your service. Without you, I'm afraid my men would suffer with cold feet."_

_"Yes, Your Grace,"_

"_Have you plans to attend the ball tomorrow night?"_

"_Ball__? Pardon?"_

"_Yes, a ball in the castle to celebrate the Prince's engagement. Have you anybody to go with? I would be pleased to accompany you to this dance, if that is no trouble to you or your dear brother. A beautiful young lady such as yourself, I imagine, would dance well?"_

_Lenalee hesitated. Did the Bishop just... ask her to a dance? Of course, without question, if she knew of the dance before then, she would have considered bringing Lavi with her. But- the Bishop? It was brazenly inappropriate._

"_I admire your kindness, milord, but I cannot accept your offer. I apologize deeply."_

"_Praytell, why not, dear?" Lenalee looked up at him._

"_My brother, Komui, he's fallen ill to the cold. I must be there for him," she lied. The Bishop seemed very disappointed by this information. _

"_Oh, that is very unfortunate, yes, very much so. But, you are right, dear, your brother's health is far more important. Another time, then. Good evening." The Bishop watched her leave with hungry eyes, stepping out quickly as if it was difficult to be there. Lenalee could feel his eyes boring into her back, and she wished for nothing more than to leave this place._

_The night time cold greeted her as she returned to the courtyard, thankful that she was almost out. She was stopped by an outreached arm in front of her, and she came to an abrupt halt before it. The arm belong to a man propped up against the other side of the arch leading into the courtyard. She recognized his standing by the uniform he wore, a lighter shade of red than the other knights and guards about._

"_Captain?"_

_The man's narrow eyes gazed down at her as he approached, holding out a small pouch. He dropped it in front of her, and she gasped a little as she struggled to catch it. The impact with her hands caused a little jingle, and Lenalee realized that what the pouch held was money. She looked up at the man. A moment of silence passed before a small half-smile graced his features._

"_You're in love," Kanda observed, looking her over. Lenalee flushed at his discovery. _

"_And how are you so sure, Captain?"_

"_You lied to His Grace. You're in love," he pointed out, causing Lenalee to grow even more red. _

"_Please, Captain... please keep this silent," she pleaded. Kanda shook his head._

"_It's my duty to inform His Grace of matters to his best interest," he gazed down at Lenalee's pleading eyes, and felt a sort of pity grow within him. "His Grace... finds you interesting."_

"_Oh, Captain, you know it is wrong for a holy man to do something like this!" Lenalee huffed, exasperated. Kanda smirked._

"_Correct, Lee. But you do know, I am no rumor mill," Kanda said, looking away. Lenalee smiled, understanding what he was saying._

"_Thank you Captain," she said, her voice small, "You're much more kind than you let on, you know."_

_The Captain eyed her a moment, feeling the warmth of blood rising in his cheeks. He quickly turned away again._

"_Che."_

* * *

The dawn appeared, illuminating the plains with it's fiery orange light. The young man sat atop his horse, watching the sun consume the remaining unlit lands visible beyond the mountains. He raised his fist as a hawk cried from above, perching on his outreached arm. Smiling, he pulled her closer and gazed at the avian creature fondly.

"Good morning. Let's go find Allen, shall we?" Lavi spoke pleasantly to the hawk, guiding his horse down the hill and into the field.

* * *

Allen had made it as far as the plains before the sun rose, and at this rate, he was sure Lavi wouldn't have been able to catch up now. Pleased with his personal escape and newfound freedom, he decided it would be fine to slow his pace a bit. Now at a pleasant stroll, he gazed up at the clear blue skies, relieved that for once he didn't see any dark clouds looming from above.

A large growl interrupted his thoughts.

He clutched his stomach, trying his best to silence the beast, but it was no use. Allen was starving! Desperately he searched for something that could possibly have any edible value, and that's when he smelled it.

"Oh, Mana, it can't be true!" his cerulean eyes widened. The undoubted smell of cooking mutton was wafting over from a small encampment just down the hill from where he stood. This made his stomach growl even louder. Maybe he would be able to nick some of that meat, if only his stomach didn't give him away first.

He made his way down the hill as fast and as stealthily as he could, careful to avoid waking up the inhabitants. Sweet, tender mutton was only mere inches away. He crouched down into the dried grass, trying to blend in.

"Well well. Long way from the sewers, little rat."

Allen gasped, flipping onto his back and staring up at the Aquilan knight looming over him. '_Why can't I just have a normal day for once in my life?_' Allen thought desperately, rolling aside as the man's sword drove into the ground next to him. The knight knelt down and gathered the front of his tunic, pulling him to his feet. Allen struggled in his grip, but a sword to his neck had him unwillingly paralyzed. They way the man held him made it impossible for his feet to remain flat on the ground. "Now, now. No need to make a fuss. Where is the Bookman?"

Allen swallowed.

"Bookman -?" The knight pressed his sword into his throat. Allen choked. He tried to activate his arm, but it was no use - too hungry...

"Oh, right - right! Big hammer, black horse? I saw him riding south, toward Aquila."

"Then we ride north sir," suggested one of the knight's subordinates. Allen glared at the accuser.

"It's not polite to assume that somebody is a liar when you've only just met him."

The knight holding him smirked.

"Yet you knew we would," He drawled, lowering his sword. He then addressed his men. "We ride south, to Aquila!"

Allen looked to the heavens in disbelief.

"I told the truth that time, Mana! How can I learn any moral lessons if you keep confusing me like this?"

* * *

Late day, Lavi had been following Allen's not so well hidden tracks which had lead him to a small encampment. He frowned. A camp? Surely, this meant knights had been here. Lavi had no doubt in his mind that Allen had a run-in here, and began to worry for his white-haired friend. He recognized the colors by which the flag displayed, and knew that the knights had been from Aquila, and to his knowledge, Aquilan knights were cruel men. Looking down, he realized that the tracks belonging to Allen had ended in a mess of other footprints, and Lavi could only conclude that there was a skirmish here. Gazing further, the tracks turned into horseshoes and they turned back in the direction of the hill. Cautiously, he followed them. The hill overlooked the rest of the plains, but strangely, they had become well hidden by the thicker grass. Lavi narrowed his eye, trying to see past the light of the setting sun.

An arrow whizzed past his ear. Alarmed, Lavi threw the hawk into the air and turned Goliath around, who reared up on his hind legs and dodged two more oncoming arrows. The knights had charged out from wherever they were hiding, two wielding crossbows, the other a sword. Lavi clenched his teeth, noticing how the third knight had Allen in tow, bound and gagged. The whole sight angered Lavi, who withdrew his hammer and enlarged it significantly.

"They followed us..." Lavi muttered as he blocked an oncoming arrow with the hammer. Seeing Lavi, Allen pushed himself off the back of the horse, landing in the dirt. He struggled to ungag himself, swearing like a sailor as a horse galloped right past him, nearly trampling the poor boy. He tried to activate his innocence, but the knights had badly injured it, and it hurt to transform. Growling, he looked around frantically for something, anything, to harm the knights with. Lavi was bashing through one of the men, the one with the sword, and smashed him right off his mount with an unearthly blow to the head. Lavi turned as another man aimed his crossbow at him, and unfortunately, he was too close to avoid it this time. He raised his hammer in an effort to block it, but instead, what happened made his insides shrink and drop.

The knight was hit by a well aimed rock, courtesy of Allen, which caused his arm to fly up and misfire the arrow. It pierced the hawks breast, and with an anguished cry, it began to fall. As Lavi watched in horror, the knight had just enough time to fire another arrow, and this time he didn't miss. The arrow lodged itself into Lavi's shoulder, and he gasped as the blood rose up around the wound. The force of the shot almost dismounted him, but he held steady to the reigns. Another glance up at the hawk caused his expression to become desperate. The hawk circled widely, wobbling and bobbing, and finally, hit the ground roughly where it lay still.

"No...no...NO!" Lavi cried, kicking his horse into action. He charged at the man who had shot the hawk, pulling out the arrow and plunging it into the knight's neck. The man gagged and sputtered as blood rose quickly out of his mouth. Lavi swung his hammer at the last man, who was easily knocked out, along with a few teeth.

"That's karma for you, bastards!" Allen cried in triumph, punching the air victoriously. Lavi however, rode silently to where the hawk lay, dismounting and dropping his hammer in the grass. He knelt down next to the creature, relieved to see that it was still alive.

"Y-you're going to be alright..." he whispered, examining the wound. The hawk lay on her back, the arrow lodged deep into her chest. It cried pathetically. Lavi turned his head to face Allen, who had curiously approached the man.

"Get me a piece of cloth from my saddlebag!" he ordered, his voice intense and desperate. Allen flinched, but followed the order, retrieving a cloth and handing it to Lavi. Gingerly, he wrapped the hawk in the cloth and held her, all the while whispering words of comfort to the avian creature. (_"It's alright, shh, you'll live, you'll be fine..."_) He stood, slowly, and looked to the sky. The sun was growing closer to the horizon. He then eyed Allen, his gaze piercing.

"Take her, find help." Allen once again flinched.

"M-me?"

"You're the only one I have," Lavi answered grimly.

"But the hawk is done for, Lavi."

"Don't you say that!" Lavi yelled, startling Allen by his panicked voice. He made a visible effort to calm himself, then looked Allen straight in the eye. "Follow this road. You'll find a ruined castle. There's a hermit living there, he'll know what to do with the hawk."

"Lavi, I don't think you understand-"

"Get on my horse!"

"- you're the only one who can ride him-"

"You will do as I tell you! Get on my horse **now**!" Allen reluctantly pulled himself into the saddle, albeit awkwardly, and seated himself. He looked down at Lavi pleadingly.

"-but, Lavi..."

The redhead ignored him as he gingerly placed the hawk into Allen's arms. (_"Careful,"_) Lavi's intense gaze met Allen's, and a chill ran down his spine as their eyes locked.

"Know this," Lavi said, his voice low but very serious, "If you fail – I will follow you the length of my days. And I will find you. Now, go. Come on, _go_." Lavi smacked the horse's rump and Goliath began to run, Allen holding the reigns with his free hand. Lavi watched them go, sorrow masking his features. Once they disappeared over the hill he turned and slumped into the grass, hand over his wound. Removing his hand, he stared grimly at the blood staining his skin and then looked to the sky.

"Please..."

* * *

**Please leave a quick review below and tell me what you think!  
**


	6. I Am Sorrow

**Sorry if this seems a little bland. Dx I am really trying to keep everyone in character while still sticking to the story, so bare with me. Hopefully I got it just right, either that or I'm off. I really do appreciate it if you find any mistakes that you might mention them to me, or things you think I can improve on. I love me some good constructive criticism! Yesm. Also, I'd like to let it be known that the rating has gone up for... hehe a _certain somebody's_ language. I think that means it won't show up on the main page, or something of that sort. **

* * *

"Hello?" Allen called, peering up at the old ruined castle before him, "Hello, is there anybody here? Umm... mister hermit man?" When he received no answer from the ruin, he rode Goliath a little closer.

"There it is, see? The castle, we made it." He made to pet the hawk's beak, but she snapped at him, drawing blood. Allen hissed, pulling back his hand in disgust.

"Ah, well, that's gratitude for you! I didn't come all this way for nothing. I've my own life to look after, you know!" The hawk cried again, dark golden eyes turning toward the castle.

"HELLO?!" Allen yelled this time, and a loud crash from inside followed by a river of swears and colorful language that Allen didn't even know existed told him he had been heard. His cerulean eyes promptly blinked into focus as a glint in the setting sun caught his eye. Was that a... wine bottle?

"Ahh!" Goliath side-stepped the glass and it shattered on the granite beside him. Allen looked down at the sharp pieces scattered around Goliath's hooves with a wary look.

"Er... hello?" Allen called once more, sheepishly. Finally, there was a loud shuffle and whines from inside, and a shaggy, drooping figure appeared on the balcony.

"The _fuck _do you want?! Can't you see we're busy?" His body swayed in drunken movement as he tried to get a good look at the twit who had disturbed his happy-hour. Allen felt his blood run cold at the sight, instantly recognizing the nude man.

"M-m-m-m-m-"

"What are you doing here, Useless? I hope you brought money, or, at least a fine woman worthy of my company!" Cross Marion slurred, obviously pissed drunk.

"I b-brought a bird," Allen replied, his face paling. Cross gazed down at the bundle in his pupil's arm.

"A _**bird**_?!" Cross roared in disbelief, "I sent you away with my humble training, everything I ever knew that you could ever hope to learn, to bring back something worth my time- _and you return with a goddamn __**bird**_?"

"Umm... well, that is... a special bird-"

"Special? How so? Bring it up, brat, we'll dine together. But you're cooking."

"We can't eat this bird!" Allen cried in horror, knowing that there was no corner of the world in which to escape Lavi's wrath if the bird were to end up in a cookpot, of all places.

"What was that, Useless?" Cross asked grumpily, "Are you trying to tell me that it's fasting week already?! Goddamn holy days keeping a man from his dinner-" Allen was becoming rather impatient with Cross yelling out his drunken blasphemy.

"No, this hawk belongs to a man named Lavi-"

"DON'T YOU INTERRUPT- what? Lavi, you say?" All traces of intoxication disappeared as Cross absorbed what he had been told. "Damn it, boy, you really are useless. _Bring it up_!" Cross ordered, disappearing back into the castle, still in the nude. Allen shuddered as he dismounted Goliath. The image of his master with nothing covering him would become one of the many things that scar his memory for the length of his days. Cross had lifted the gate from the inside and Allen entered, holding the bird close and dreading what was to come. How could Lavi trust a man like Marion Cross?

As he entered the keep, he spotted Cross leading two women with his arms slung over their shoulders down from his bedroom, both covered by nothing but a piece of what Allen guessed to be sheets. Cross flashed a lewd grin to the blond one. "Another time then, perhaps. You can stay if you wish," he slurred.

"Oh, but we were just getting started..." the dark-haired one whined, snuggling his bare chest.

"Anita, babe, you can look forward to some more games later. You too, Cloud. But first, I've got some business to take care of, thanks to my stupid apprentice." Allen vaguely wondered why Lavi had called the man a hermit.

Once the ladies returned to his room, Cross had dressed and sauntered down into the entry room where Allen waited for him.

"Alright, lay her on the pallet, brat," he ordered, lighting up as he watched Allen gingerly place the hawk on what he guessed to be a medical bed. Cross took a long drag as he examined the wound. Then he turned to Allen.

"Leave," he said.

"Can't I help?" Allen inquired.

"No." Cross withdrew a small mallet from his coat and raised it threateningly above his head. Allen jumped back in surprise and without further argument, ran outside. Once his apprentice was out of sight, Cross knelt down next to the hawk and further examined the wound.

"Damn nuisance, you are," he murmured, exhaling the poison in the opposite direction, "See, I don't have any of the shit I need right now. I'd make Useless fetch them for me, but he doesn't know jack fuck about medicinal herbs. Don't move." Cross stood and sauntered out the door to collect the necessary materials. As he wandered off, Allen jumped from the ledge and picked the lock. The last glint of light disappeared behind the mountains as the door was pushed open.

Allen faced toward the door to make sure it had been shut tight, then turned around to the candlelight. His eyes widened. Sitting on the medical bed was a young lady with long, dark hair and amber eyes. The arrow was lodged deep into her shoulder, the same place where the hawk had been shot. He recognized her. Allen had seen her twice before. Third time's the charm, they say.

"Lavi, is he..." the girl asked, her voice barely a worried whisper. She was leaned forward slightly.

"He's fine, he's just fine my lady," Allen reassured her, and she melted back into the pallet with a sigh of relief. She pulled the cloth that was covering her delicate body further up her breast.

"There was a terrible battle," Allen continued, approaching the girl with a wary expression, his eyes wide, "Lavi fought like... like a wolf. And the hawk! The hawk was..." he eyed the arrow in her shoulder, "The hawk was shot."

His eyes wandered from the wound to her almond eyes. "But you know all that, don't you?"

The girl closed her eyes, nodding. "Yes."

Allen's breathing was shallow, unable to believe what he was discovering. He sat on the pallet next to her, eyes still locked on intently. "Are you flesh, or are you spirit?" The girl turned her face away, almond eyes forlorn and wary.

"I am sorrow."

_It was exactly midnight when a thunderous pounding on the door woke her up. Lenalee stirred in bed, wondering why anyone would visit at this time of night. She moved to get out of bed, but was stopped as her brother laid a hand on her shoulder. _

"_Wait, Lenalee," Komui warned, for he would not allow his precious sister to answer the door in such strange circumstances. The man, dressed in only his night gown, grabbed a pitchfork leaning against the wall that he kept inside for such a condition. Lenalee watched groggily as he made his way gingerly toward the door holding a candle, hesitating before opening it. _

"_Who're you?" Komui asked, raising the pitchfork in front of him._

"_You must leave, now. Wake your sister, I will explain when we're outside. You have sixty seconds," the Captain of the guard answered. Komui was taken aback as the man pushed him aside and entered._

"_Hold on there, what is the meaning of this?" Komui demanded, grabbing the man by the cuff of his scabbard. The man turned, dark eyes burning into Komui's. _

"_Unless you want to die, stop wasting your time and gather your belongings." Komui flinched under the man's gaze and released him. Lenalee appeared with a candle in hand, pulling her own night gown closer to her body. Her tense posture relaxed when she saw the intruder's face._

"_Kanda, what brings you here, at this hour?" she asked warily, knowing that something was wrong. The Captain turned on her, his icy gaze unchanged. _

"_You must leave, now," Kanda growled, a steel edge to his voice. Lenalee nodded. She would ask Kanda later, because she knew that Kanda would not fool around this way, and the situation must have been urgent. She nodded to her brother, letting him know it was okay. _

_Kanda tapped the hilt of his blade impatiently as Komui and Lenalee stumbled about the house, gathering their most important belongings. He quickly glanced out the window as he heard yelling in the distance. _

"_NOW!" Kanda shouted, dragging the siblings from the house and to the exterior of the place with amazing strength. Outside, Kanda's horse awaited him, grumbling nervously and padding at the snow. Komui shivered as he and Lenalee mounted their own horses and followed Kanda's midnight black one. They rode with the Captain off of the road and into the woods._

_The trio followed Kanda through through a zigzagging path of shrubs and rounding trunks, as if Kanda really had every intention of hiding his trail. The naked trees served no cover whatsoever, and the snow on the ground ensured that a trail was left behind. _

"_Captain," Lenalee rode up next to the man, "Now will you explain? Why are you doing this? Where are you taking us?" Komui flanked the man's right, the same question on his mind. Kanda turned his gaze on Lenalee intensely._

"_The Bishop knows of you and the boy," he said, gaining a gasp from both Lenalee and Komui. Komui then rode next to Lenalee._

"_Lenalee! You __**were**__ seeing somebody! You were! Why didn't you tell me-"_

"_SHUT your mouth!" Kanda growled at him, and Komui became silent once again. Kanda returned to Lenalee._

"_The Commander," Kanda continued, "Is your rat. He's found out about you and... him, and as such has informed the Bishop of his findings. It's his damn duty to do so as much as it is mine. When the Bishop discovered that I was keeping this information from him, he sent orders for your captures, as well as for my execution. Mikk has always wanted my position, I've known that since he was a lowly guard. I bet he's thrilled..."_

"_What about Lavi?"_

"_No time," Kanda huffed, "Mikk has probably already figured out I've gone to retrieve you myself. Why do you think I was in a hurry?"_

"_But the Bishop! He would surely want Lavi dead!"_

"_No time," Kanda repeated, exasperated, "He's probably already dead, anyway." He kicked his horse into a gallop, and Komui did the same. Lenalee scowled at him._

"_I love him!" Lenalee screamed to the men, turning her horse quickly and riding in the opposite direction. Komui did the same, yelling after her to stop ("Lenalee! No! You don't need a man!") Kanda rode in a wide circle around a group of naked trees before following pursuit. _

"_Idiots, you'll be killed!" he hissed, catching up with them._

"_I'd rather-" Lenalee's voice was drowned out by a loud, thunderous explosion. The three riders looked up as flashes illuminated the night sky, accompanying the sound of bullets being fired. A sinking feeling overtook Lenalee. 'Please don't be near him... please be alive... don't try to fight them...!' She thought desperately as her horse sped through the woods. She veered left, following a flash that resounded all to close to her destination._

_Meanwhile, Kanda clenched his teeth up at the figures hovering in the sky. _

"_Get on my horse," he ordered Komui._

"_Lavi!" Lenalee cried as she neared the hill where sat the church. _

"_Lenalee?!" came his all too surprised voice. She saw him standing outside the doors, a weapon in hand. Looking skywards, large, round silhouettes littered the sky, blocking out the moonlight. _

"_Weapons won't affect them, Lavi! Please, go inside!" she yelled, dismounting and activating her dark boots. The eerie green glow caught Lavi's brief attention. _

"_You too, eh?" he muttered, swinging his hammer. The weapon collided into the nearest machine, shattering it in a cloud of dust. Lenalee stared, wide-eyed. Lavi ran a thumb over his nose boyishly, signaling his well-being. Lenalee nodded. The Akuma closed in around the church, aiming their guns. The walls of the building had long since become history, now a barely recognizable pile of rubble. Lenalee tore through three of the demons, jumping between their masses with her boots that allowed her to fly – not so different than a butterfly – and slamming into them in turn. Lavi plowed through their numbers viciously, swinging his giant hammer with ease while its incredible size was difficult for the Akuma to avoid._

"_There's just... too many..." Lenalee panted, dropping to the ground. Lavi caught her by the shoulder, lifting her back to her feet. _

"_Don't give up," he said, encouragingly, although Lenalee could tell that his stamina was wearing thin as well. Kanda had come charging in sometime during the fight, brandishing his sword and cutting through the machines. Komui, however, having no such weapon, was forced to stay hidden in the trees. He looked up, worrying, as the fight raged on, holding the reigns of Kanda's horse much too tight. His grip loosened significantly as his heart tightened._

"_Tsk, tsk," the voice of the Commander reached his ears in a hiss, "If you hadn't of caused me such trouble finding you, Lee, you just might have had a chance."_

_Komui's eyes widened as he realized what would happen within the next few moments. He had one chance to be useful. He didn't even need to think to know how this moment could be spent._

"_LENALEE-!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, cut short as the Commander did the honors. Komui slumped sideways off of Kanda's steed, landing unceremoniously in a heap in the snow. His efforts paid off, however, as the three turned in time to see Mikk charging up the hill, Tease perched on both wrists. Kanda was the first to take action. He held his sword above his head, and it glowed with an eerie green light than lingered still after he had made a swipe at the air before him. Six hellish insects materialized from the blade, and shot at Mikk with blinding speed. The Commander, smirking, was faster, and threw both Tease into the insects. The beasts clashed with a flash, and both disappeared. Out of the flash, Mikk charged on his horse still. Kanda ducked in time to dodge his deadly grip, making a swipe at his horse's legs. The stallion cried as it toppled over. The Commander didn't miss a beat, materializing directly through the horse. Upright, he now stood, staring at the Captain, not a scratch to be seen on his being._

"_A fine performance, Captain," he said venomously, as yet another Tease emerged from his sleeve and perched on his outreached finger, "A shame it's your last."_

"_Shut the **hell **up," Kanda growled. Again he rushed the man, brandishing his sword. The two engaged in a duel, Kanda making fruitless attempts to dismember the Commander, whereas the latter seemed to be very amused by his antics. Mikk, who had sidestepped, ducked, or simply ghosted Kanda's sword, was becoming rather bored with the dance. On the other hand, this only served to further enrage the Captain, who would never admit that he was losing a battle such as this one, no less to a man that he outranked. But though he couldn't admit it, he certainly hadn't the mind to deny it. The thought of losing horrified him, and he knew what had to be done. Kanda fished the sight of the two standing idle by the ruined church, holding one another. Lenalee seemed to be injured, and Lavi was trying to get her to stand. _

"_Take my horse and go!" Kanda growled at them. Lenalee froze in disbelief._

"_Go?" she echoed, and Kanda winced as a Tease tore at his shoulder. _

"_I'm Captain, and that's a goddamn order! **GO**!" Kanda shouted. He wasn't in the mood for this moral shit, and if Lavi didn't have enough sense to pick her up and make her move, so help him..._

_His thought was never completed as another Tease came flying at him, breaking Kanda from his thoughts. The Captain only had enough time to see Lavi carrying Lenalee bridal style and running down the hill toward his horse and a dead Komui before a fist connected with his face and sent him hurtling to the ground. Kanda kept a grip on his sword, slashing at Mikk, who simply allowed it to ghost through him. The man chuckled as he gathered the front of Kanda's scabbard and lifted him off the ground._

"_That was noble of you, Captain," he said, smirking. Kanda would have none of it. He slashed at the man wildly, with no result. The Commander only sighed and waited for him to tire. When he didn't, Kanda then struggled under his grip, tearing the clothing as he did so to free himself. The dark haired man rose, wiping blood from his lips and swaying slightly. He wasn't going to die that easily. He would put up a fight. Tyki shrugged, also lifting off the ground._

"_Where do you plan to get, Captain? Do you hope to retain your rank?" Mikk mused aloud, walking casually toward Kanda, "A useless effort, really, because you know you're going to die, Kanda. I can see it in your eyes."_

"_Bite me," Kanda growled. He was going to do all in his power to stall Mikk and allow Lavi and Lenalee time to escape. He never liked the fellow. Just one scratch on his aggravatingly perfect face would suffice..._

_The trees rushed by them in a blur. Her thoughts were a blur. Everything had happened so fast... it was all just a blur. She couldn't restrain the tears this time – she didn't want to. Freely they fell, soaking through Komui's hair. This was a nightmare – all just a horrible, awful nightmare. She wanted to wake up. She wanted to wake up and see the dawn shining in through her window, casting long shapes of gold on the sheets of her bed. She wanted to hear her brother's protests as she shook him to awaken. But he wouldn't. His eyes were closed, and they wouldn't be opening any time soon. She could barely see things before her, as the tears obscured her vision and everything was once again a blur. The sounds of Kanda's horse pounding through the snow became distant. Kanda... would he be alright? Why did they have to leave him there? Everything was just wrong. _

_'I want to die,' she thought, running a hand through Komui's hair. A warm hand took hold of her cold one, and Lenalee looked up. Lavi must have felt her emotions. She took the invitation he so warmly offered and slumped into his back, burying her face into his cloak. She wrapped an arm around his waist and left it there. _

_Why was the world so dark? Lavi seemed to be the only light left in hers. And she would cling to it and never let it go._

Lenalee was jolted from her memories as the door slammed open, and a tall man with long crimson hair entered. At the sight of the color, Lenalee immediately started, but upon further inspection, the man was not Lavi after all. The man, however, paid her no mind, but looked angrily at his apprentice. The man grabbed Allen by his arm and violently pushed him outside.

"Resume the position- NOW!" he added in an angered flush. Lenalee stared at him as he turned and made a visible attempt at calming himself, although failing quite miserably.

"Position?" Lenalee inquired sheepishly as Cross laid out his supplies. The man grunted in response and Lenalee sighed, giving up and turning away. Outside, Allen was praying to Satan that his master die a long and painful death as he sat curled on the ground, hands tucked under his knees in a painful crunch. Back inside, Cross readied himself to remove the arrow.

"This is going to hurt like hell," he warned, although his tone indicated that he really didn't care either way. Lenalee frowned, but knowing Cross, this was him being nice. Otherwise, he might have just yanked it out without warning and told her to shut up as he cleaned the wound. Lenalee nodded, placing her hand in his. The man winced, but made no effort to move the hand.

"I'm ready."

An hour passed before Allen could no longer hold the position, and finally resigned to wandering the small castle. Over and over again, he heard howls echoing off the ruin's walls, and somehow, Allen knew the being in which they belonged to. The howls continued, each time more irritating, each time more sorrowful and worried. Eventually, Allen decided to head inside, in hopes that it would muffle the noise made by the obviously pained wolf.

Inside, Allen found a small depression, and here he decided to make a fire. The walls glimmered with it's orange light, and Allen made to snuggle close to the flame. Its warmth was comforting, but the fact that the change of location did nothing to mute the wolf outside, it was only slightly satisfying. He turned as something approached him from behind, handing him a bottle of booze. The image of Cross slumped into the straw by the fire opposite him. He eyed the bottle in disapproval, but said nothing of it. After minutes in silence, the wolf howled once again. Cross's gaze followed the noise to the stars outside.

"It's him, isn't it?" Cross tore his gaze away and eyed his apprentice, whose own eyes were fixed into the flame. "Somehow, it's him."

Cross grimaced, eying the glass container that his apprentice had not yet even sipped from. Taking another swig of his own, Cross pointed to the drink.

"Drink, shut up, forget." Allen eyed him accusingly.

"You were drunk when we arrived! You remembered!" Allen was tempted to add that he was always drunk, but decided against it in hopes that it would save him pain later. Cross only smirked.

"Alright, brat," he said, drinking again, "Do you know who she is?"

"No – well, I mean, I've met her twice before-"

"Her name is Lenalee Lee. Both parents, killed by Akuma. She fled to Aquila with her... ah, I forget. Her brother, was it? Well, whatever – not so important - the man had a talent in shoe making, so he became a cobbler for the city. That Lenalee... I can't forget the first time I saw her... it was like looking at..."

"Master... that's awful coming from you..." Allen cringed. He wasn't sure how old his master was, but he knew that Lenalee was at least half his age.

"Don't interrupt me, Useless," Cross hiccuped grumpily. Allen furrowed his brows. "Anyway, it was rare to find anybody that wasn't attracted by her beauty. Even that holy fat man..."

"You couldn't mean the Earl?!"

"Is that what they call him now?"

"He was in love with her?"

"If you mean with a mad lust for the girl. He was certainly possessed, that great old chump. I can guarantee you, though, Lenalee isn't all beauty and no brain. She saw right through him – evaded each of his attempts to seduce her. I wouldn't blame her, the man was a right sight, a creepy blob of-"

"Master."

"Shut up, boy. Now, the reason for this is because her heart was already lost, you see, to a young traveler."

"Lavi!" Allen gasped. Cross nodded, drinking from his flagon. He frowned, noticing that Allen still had not touched his drink. Now that his was empty, he made a grab for the one he had given to Allen and began to drink from that.

"The fatass-"

"-the Earl-"

"-was blind to their love. Every day it became stronger, deeper, richer...until..."

"Until?" Allen inquired, urging him to continue. The man threw a log into the fire, sending up angry sparks to rekindle it's light.

"They were betrayed," Cross said darkly, looking away, "He was a Commander at the time. The man was constantly lusting after the position of Captain of the Guard, however, the only way he could attain such a rank is if the current Captain is dead. Simply put, Tyki Mikk was an unhappy man. In constant anger and frustration, he would seek solace in one place.

"On my way to the tavern that day, I met a young girl just outside the city. I recognized her from my many trips out to Aquila-"

"-for booze-"

"Yes, for booze, and I took the moment to catch up with her. She had revealed to me her feelings for Lavi, and at the time, I could really care less. Then I met the Commander at the tavern. He was very drunk, and to my own fault, I decided I'd wait until he passed out and loot his belongings while he was out. And so I'd struck out conversation with the man."

"He spoke about Lenalee," Allen guessed, and Cross nodded, taking a particularly large swig of the booze.

"We started talking about the girl. I hadn't realized what I'd done, but the man sobered up right away when I passed on the news. Seeing no reason to stick around after that, since he obviously wasn't going to be out, I'd left the bar and spent the rest of the day at a brothel. But the damage was done."

Allen felt a chill. He could see where this was going. Knowing Tyki Mikk, he would have passed along anything to the Bishop if it meant a reward.

"So Tyki-"

"With just that, the fatass became enraged and ordered Mikk to capture Lenalee. He was to kill the boy who she had fallen for. In addition, he also ordered for the execution of his current Captain. The man favored Mikk, and being the dog that he is, Mikk carried them out. With his own miniature army of Akuma, Mikk set out to capture the girl, killing the Captain of the Guard and her brother in the process. But Lavi was a quick one. He was able to slip away with her before the Commander could pursue, and they managed to escape with their heads still intact. But the fat man would not relent – mad that he was! He swore that if he could not have her, no man shall!" Finishing his drink, Cross threw the empty flagon aside and eyed Allen intensely, as intense as a drunk man could.

"He searched and searched for means to..._hic_...exact his fury. And he found it in the form of darkness – struck up a bargain for the means to damn the lovers and he..._hic_...succeeded. The power of Noah spat up a curse, one you and I have seen at work. By day, Lenalee is that feather duster you've brought to me. And then by night..._hic_...as you've guessed, the cry of the wolf we hear is the voice of Lavi, the Bookman."

Allen felt the pressure building behind his cerulean eyes that could only be tears. Now he understood. Why Lavi had disappeared every night. Who this girl was. Why Lavi had been so desperate for him to save the hawk...

"...always together... eternally apart..." Allen mumbled, staring at the fire. Cross slumped over on his side, now so pissed up that he could no longer effectively support his own weight.

"As long as there's day and night," Cross slurred, before his form went limp and he passed out with one last hiccup. The wolf howled painfully at his words as if he, too, were there listening to his own doleful story. Allen only sat there, holding his legs against his chest and staring into the depths of the fire. His snowy white hair fell against his knees as he buried his face away, feeling cold despite the warmth that heated his form. How he had stumbled into such a tale was beyond him. He felt guilty that he had denied helping Lavi, when so obviously he needed his aid. He really was Lavi's last hope. Feeling the weight of the information boring down on him, Allen shuddered.

"Lavi... I... I'll help you. I'll help you lift this curse."

* * *

"Useless, all of them."

The Earl sunk into his seat, eying the young girl before him. Her dark skin resembled that of the Captain's, her spiky dark hair giving her otherwise innocent appearance an eerie side effect. The scowl on her face threw this off.

"What do you mean, 'useless'? My traps are always full – I can't just kill every wolf that lives. Since the plague, there's been more wolf than men, didn't you realize?" The girl cried. He golden orbs locked with the Earl's.

"But this is not just a wolf, Road." The girl raised a brow questioningly. "This wolf..." the Earl clenched his fist, "who is... in... _love_ with her..." he said the 'L' word with emphasized pain. Again, Road gave him a questioning look.

"Her?"

"Yes, there is a woman. Beautiful, with long dark hair and eyes of finest oak. She travels by night, only night. Her sun is the moon. Her name is Lenalee... find her and you will find the wolf – the one I want. He's a great black wolf, missing an eye, and the other is green-"

"A black wolf with green peepers?!" Road cried in disbelief, "There's no such thing!"

A wide grin plastered itself on the Earl's face.

"My dear, there is such a wolf. Only one."

"But it must be worth a fortune, why kill it?!"

"Bring me its lifeless corpse and you may name your price."

A sadistic grin found its way onto the huntress and she strode blissfully from the Cathedral, pondering what such a wolf as the Earl described would be like to prey upon. Oh, she would have fun with this one.

* * *

**The lover's secret has been revealed! What's Allen to do with this information? Part 7 on the way. :) Go ahead and leave me a review, tell me what you think! I really do love to hear from you guys! n.n**

_More to come: Either Cross is more drunk than usual, or he's suddenly become a gifted seer. Before Allen or Lenalee can make sense of the man, however, they'll have to do a bit of rock climbing - er - tower climbing._


	7. Blind Vengeance

**Argh! Why does it have to be so dang HOT where I live? Lemme tell you, living as close to Mexico as I do, it gets crazy hot here. Not just because of the location, but because we get rain about once a year. Yeah, once. Maybe in the winter if we're lucky. **

**Anyway, this one turned out longer than I'd intended. o.o  
But, no harm done, right? I'm working on the last chapter, by the way, which makes me very happy. :D Here's part 7!**

* * *

Allen didn't sleep that night. He spent the dark hours watching over the resting Lenalee, who had been very exhausted by the wound and had fallen asleep almost instantly after Cross left her to recover. The white-haired boy couldn't sleep anyway – curled up in the ledge of the window, staring up at the moonlight that was fading fast as the moon slowly disappeared into the faint, early-morning sky. The howling of the wolf died down considerably, although Allen could swear he heard the occasional worried whimpers and frustrated snarls coming from the beast. He started as Lenalee stirred, opening her topaz brown eyes groggily. She blinked a few times, then made to get up. Allen moved from the window and rushed to her side.

"Don't, don't! You might start bleeding again..." Lenalee looked up at Allen, surprised. She smiled, laying back down. Relieved that she obeyed, Allen went back to the window, although now faced toward her.

"Tell me your name."

"Most people call me 'The Mouse'. But my name is Allen Walker."

"So you travel with him, don't you?"

"Yes," Allen answered, smiling. He started pacing aimlessly around the room. "_You must save this hawk!_" He mimicked Lavi's voice, throwing up his arms for dramatic effect. Lenalee watched him enthusiastically. "_She's my life, my last and best reason for living._" Noticing Lenalee watching him, Allen continued, "_One day, we will know happiness that none have ever felt, only dreamed!_"

Lenalee knew it was a lie, as Lavi wouldn't have said something like that, but the fact that Allen was showing so much enthusiasm made her feel warm. She would like to believe Lavi had said such a thing to her...

"He said that?" Allen stopped his pacing, eying her and nodding solemnly.

"I swear it on my breakfast." Both heads were turned as the door swung open and Cross stumbled into the room, holding none other than a flagon of booze. Allen felt his enthusiasm leave him as the drunken man sauntered over to where Lenalee rested, looking absolutely jolly in the most disturbing manner possible.

"There's an end to it!" he announced, eying the two teens with a slightly off gaze, "I have been given the knowledge to undo this obstacle!" Both Allen and Lenalee raised their brows in utter surprise, unsure what to make of what the drunk was saying. They exchanged looks as he, most unexpectedly, set aside his drink and sat on the medical pallet to hold his figure, raising a finger matter-of-factly. "Two years of your suffering has paid off, crumpet!"

Lenalee furrowed her brows at the nickname. Allen screwed up his face, trying to make sense of his words. He had to keep in mind that the man was drunk, and knowing Cross, he often made little effort to make sense when he was riding the liquor express.

"Say again?"

Cross rounded on him, standing and scaring the young apprentice, who backed up, expecting physical pain.

"I have found a way to lift the curse!" A hopeful smile found it's way onto Lenalee's lips, but she knew not to hold onto such high expectations. On the other hand, Allen's expression lit up and he grinned widely.

"Really? But he's going to kill him, won't that work?" Allen mused. Cross shook his red head.

"No, no, he mustn't do that. Unless he wants to screw everything up!"

"What then?"

"Patience, brat, I was trying to say!" Cross grumbled, reaching for his flagon. His reach stopped dead as sounds of men outside echoed up the castle walls. Cross swore loudly, sobering up almost instantly. Allen always thought it was frightening how his master was able to do that.

"Hide her," he hissed as he flew up the stairs and out of sight. The room connected to his balcony housed the two women he had been sharing his domain with. Both had already been awakened by the sound of the men's loud voices outside. Grumbling and muttering curses under his breath, he approached the edge of the balcony and gazed down at the annoyances, flanked by the two beautiful women who had curiously followed him to see what the problem was.

"In the name of His Grace, the Bishop of Aquila, open up the gate!" cried a mounted knight from below. Cross observed the men with a cold eye, scowling. How he _hated_ being given orders. Grumpily, he waved his arm at them, shooing the men.

"What does this look like, a brothel? Away with you!" at that moment, the two gorgeous women took either side of him, stroking his shoulders and prompting him to come back to bed with them when he was finished. The knight below raised a brow at this blindingly obvious contradiction.

"Do you hear me, old man? I said, **open up**! In the name of the Bishop!" Cross positively fumed, had with this twit.

"_Old man_?! I've met the damn Bishop, you blasphemous lout! And you look nothing like him!" Cross bellowed, shaking his fist at the men.

"So leave!" cried Cloud.

"Yeah! Get out of here!" agreed Anita. Both were still clinging to each side of Cross, as if they believed that the position would be protective.

"_If that'sss how you want it, old man!_" the knight called, his voice becoming mechanical and metallic. Cross grit his teeth as the mens' skin tore away and giant machines emerged from their forms. Both women screamed and ran back inside, calling for Cross to get away. The leader chuckled mechanically, his form resembling a giant snake, a cannon in it's mouth and smaller cannons jutting out of his back. His level one underlings flanked behind him, hovering a moment before rushing the castle with their bullets. Cross ducked behind the cover of the small wall structure, drawing his crossbow and aiming it blindly over the wall. The trigger released and sent an arrow hurtling outward, guided like a magnet toward the nearest Akuma, a level one. The machine exploded upon impact. Cross peeked over the wall, narrowing his eyes as the level two had disappeared.

"_Shi-_"

Allen had watched his master speed up the steps, and immediately knew that something was wrong. He bent over and grabbed on Lenalee's arm, helping her up.

"Come with me," he instructed, helping her as she struggled to her feet. Allen worried that she wouldn't have the strength to move, the wound being severe enough to drain from her strength. He froze as his left eye shifted, changing into the red rings that enabled him to see the trapped souls. Lenalee flinched as well, startled by the sudden change.

"Akuma," Allen breathed, and Lenalee didn't need telling twice. They stumbled up the steps, their pace slowed as Lenalee hobbled to keep up. A sudden noise and violent tremor knocked them both to their knees.

"Definitely Akuma! I've got to fight them, Allen!" Lenalee cried, her boots activating, but quickly deactivating as her fatigue took a toll on her. She flinched. "No! _Activate_, come _on_!"

"Lenalee, please, miss, calm down!" Allen huffed, pulling her up and using his shoulder to support her, "You're hurt! We can't afford-"

"No, Allen!" Lenalee shrugged him away, trying to run back down the stairs, but Allen activated his arm and took hold of her entire body. She cried out, staring at him with enormous eyes.

"You're not the only one, miss. Master can fight, too. You must not start the bleeding again. _Please_," Allen pleaded. She stared at him long and hard, and Allen couldn't help but admire her determination. When he felt her relax, he released her and she then willingly followed him up the tower.

"_Exorcissst!_" a hissing, metal voice echoed up the stairs, followed by a crash and the wall behind them crumbling. Both spun on the spot, facing the Akuma who had intruded the stairwell. It's glowing crimson eyes rested on Lenalee, and the girl glared back at it. Allen held up his black claw protectively. "_The Massster desssiresss thisss girl!_"

Clenching his teeth, Allen took a swipe at the invader and pulled Lenalee the rest of the way up. The giant, mechanical snake hissed his disgust as the claw burned through his face, slipping a little around the tower. Lenalee hobbled weakly, still willing her boots to activate as Allen hurried her along. They reached the end of the well and were met by a ladder leading up through a small trap door on the ceiling. Only one way to go.

"Please, miss, up here," he helped her up the ladder, hoisting her to the roof and shutting the door behind them. He wasn't sure why he did it, because Akuma did not need to use such an entry. Lenalee panted, holding her heart as she tried to catch her breath again. She backed up to sit on the small wall surrounding the roof, but didn't realize that it had been broken down by the Akuma, and walked directly off the ledge. Her scream startled Allen, who immediately whirled and looked over the edge of the tower. Lenalee was holding onto a small indentation in the side of the tower, however, her grip was weak and she seemed to be slipping.

"_Allen!_" she cried, her grip so tenuous that she desperately tried to activate her boots, to no avail. She was too far down for Allen to reach, even with his arm activated.

"Hold on!" Allen urged her, climbing down the side of the tower as quickly as he could. "Allen! I'm slipping!" Lenalee whimpered, tears forming in her eyes, looking to the ground, then crying out as her fingers slipped from the indentation. Allen reached for her in one final attempt to catch her, but his reach was just short of her fingers, and she plummeted, falling down... down... down...

Time seemed to move painfully slow as the first glint of light appeared over the mountain. The light hit the falling girl, and Allen could only watch as her form began to shimmer. Her continued screams of fear became sharp and shrill, and soon, Lenalee had disappeared, and the hawk flew into the sky with a fierce cry. It had narrowly escaped a rocky death, soaring on the wings that kept it safe from harm. Allen's heart raced, unable to believe what he had just witnessed. His disbelief was short lived, however, as a sharp metallic sound erupted from below. The snake had returned, coiling around the tower, its head swaying in search of the girl. It didn't take long for him to locate Allen.

"_Where isss ssshe?_" it hissed threateningly.

"She flew away!" Allen said, unable to confront it in the position he was currently in, holding on to the side of the tower with his claw.

"_Liesss! WHERE ISSS SSSHE?!_" it roared, bucking its large mechanical head, ready to strike.

"God's truth! She flew away!" Allen yelled this time, trying to hoist himself back up. The snake hissed loudly and snapped it's head, thrusting it forward in attack. The snake's face was engulfed in flame, and it cried out in pain as it's form exploded into ash. As the light from the incineration died down, Allen coughed, staring dumbfounded toward the source of the fire. Some two stories below, Lavi stood on the rock surrounding the castle, shouldering his shrinking hammer. He gave Allen a small salute. The latter smiled wide, grateful for the red head once again saving his life.

"I guess you were right, Mana, it really does pay to tell the truth! Thank you, I see that now!"

* * *

The hawk perched on his raised fist, crying out to the man as she settled on the gauntlet. Lavi had been leaning on the wall of the balcony as he awaited the bird's return, turning around to face the other two after he had her in his care once again. He carefully observed her condition, smiling and letting out a deep sigh of plain relief, liking what he saw. He eyed her fondly with that emerald green orb, stroking her feathers before turning his attention to the man leaned on the wall, taking long, slow drags of his poison.

"I thought you might have been dead," Lavi started, and the man chuckled at his comment.

"What's with you bastards calling me old?" He returned, exhaling the smoke and looking dreamy.

"I didn't call you old," Lavi countered, frowning, "But in any case, I wanted to thank you - for this." He raised the hawk, which Cross glanced at, smirking.

"A fine young lady you've got there," Cross commented, and Lavi pulled her closer defensively. Cross saw the movement, smirk growing in amusement. "Wouldn't you like to see her again?"

Lavi's eye widened for a moment, but then turned into a narrowed slit, looking at the ground.

"Nonsense, I see her... every... every night..." he mumbled. Cross watched him, shaking his head.

"Stupid kid," he muttered, which Lavi didn't hear, then taking another drag of his drug he approached Lavi and stared him down.

"You can break the curse."

Lavi shot up, facing the man. The emerald narrowed dangerously as he peered at the older red head, apparently trying to find some sort of flaw in his otherwise serious face. His expression could only be described as incredulous, but he said nothing, and Cross took it as an invitation to continue.

"Confront the fat man in your human form, you and her," Cross said stonily, "and the curse will be broken – you and Lenalee can live happily ever after and all that, yadda yadda..."

"That's impossible," Lavi scoffed.

"With day and night, kid, with day and night," Cross drawled, sounding bored, "but in three days, there will be a day without a night. A night without day. That's your chance if there is one." At this point, Lavi had straightened up, a disgusted look on his face.

"Won't you go back to your drink, old man!" he said, a little too loud, as it woke the sleeping Allen, who had curled up in a small ball near the top of the stone stairs. He blinked groggily, rubbing his silvery eyes and peering curiously at the bickering red heads.

"_You think I'm drunk?!_" Cross cried, angrily removing the small roll from between his lips and thrusting it in Lavi's direction, who swiftly dodged the little thing and allowed it to plummet off the balcony. Allen almost laughed, having to bite his tongue hard in order to prevent it; Cross was always drunk somehow, whether he had booze on him or not.

"I have been gifted with the sight of an end to your pitiful half-life, and you stand there like the idiot you are and tell me I'm drunk!" Cross bellowed, turning around and searching his room – probably for something to drink.

"You haven't been gifted, you've been driven mad," Lavi said darkly as he left the room, passing Allen on his way down. Allen looked back at Cross, who was mumbling distressed words about the rum always being gone. Then he scrambled after the latter, calling his name as he descended the steps. Lavi only paid him mind as he had reached his horse, Goliath, guiding the black stallion toward the gate.

"Hey, Lavi, wait! Lavi!"

The man turned, eying him tiredly. Allen immediately noticed the stain where he had been wounded.

"How is your shoulder?" He asked, concerned. Lavi, who ignored this question, peered down at the hawk still perched on his wrist.

"I owe you," he declared, unable to meet Allen's eyes. Allen clapped a hand on his shoulder, smiling.

"Me? No, no, not at all! I owed you first, remember? I had to return the favor somehow!"

"You're free to go."

"What?"

"You're free," Lavi repeated, mounting the horse. Allen blinked, surprised at the man's modesty.

"You mean..."

"You may do as you like," Lavi said again, and Allen could have sworn he heard a hollow tone in his voice.

"Ah- wait!" Allen ran to catch up as he began guiding the black steed away, stopping as Allen planted himself in front of his path. "Are you still going to Aquila?"

"I am."

"Well, it just so happens, I'm heading in that general direction myself!" Allen announced, a wide smile on his face in hope of cheering him up a little. Allen was pleased to see a small smile pull at Lavi's lips.

"...really?"

"Absolutely!" Lavi eyed him a moment, a calculating look that Allen knew was a result of confusion for the boy's odd decision. His smile then faded and he took on a voice that was mockingly harsh.

"Gather your belongings then, because I'm leaving." Allen nodded and ran back inside the castle, Lavi watching him go. When the boy could no longer see him, a sincere smile appeared on his features, realizing then that he had a friend. The feeling was foreign to him, and it made him happy to know it was honest friendship that him and Allen shared.

* * *

"But... Lavi... what if Master was right about the curse being broken? What if you and Lenalee could face the Earl together in your human forms?"

Despite all his efforts of arguing with the red head, Lavi remained unconvinced of Cross's plan. He continued to tell Allen that he was intent on killing the Bishop, and ignored every whine Allen made about how that would mess everything up. By the late afternoon, Allen had been so exasperated that Lavi would not relent to his reasoning, he began to despair that him and Lenalee would never be reunited. Why was this man so damn stubborn? With winter arriving inconveniently early, Allen decided the bitter cold was a good distraction from Lavi's unwavering resolve, and proceeded to complain about how cold he was. It wasn't helping that storm clouds had rolled in that morning, once again, coving the sky from view and dooming the day to be dark as well as cold. The thunder rolled across the sky, and Allen shivered.

"It looks like a big one, Lavi. We'll get soaked," he moaned from atop Goliath as Lavi guided the horse. Lavi looked up to the sky indifferently.

"Sun is going down. We'll stop for the night." Allen gave him a look of surprise.

"How can you tell? The clouds are too dark!" he exclaimed, as Lavi guided them into a small settlement near the woods. Lavi looked up at him with a half smile.

"After so many sunsets?"

He found a stable to take residence in, much like the last except for the fact that it was much better kept and did not reek of waste. Since the house nearby didn't seem to be occupied, Lavi found it safe to borrow the structure, leading Goliath inside and placing Lenalee on one of the stable gates. They had made it just in time, too, since the rain began pounding at the roof only moments after they were all inside. Allen was grateful for the shelter, but almost felt sorry for Lavi, whom they all knew would have to spend the night outside in the rain. Allen almost considered asking him to stay inside, but knew he would reject the offer.

"Not a word to her," Lavi warned the boy as he prepared a place for them to sleep. Allen simply gave him a noncommittal shrug, knowing he meant the plan Cross had told him. He pulled a set of clothes from his saddle bag, humming to himself and draping them over the gate next to the hawk. Lavi eyed the clothes.

"Can't vouch for the fit, but at least they'll keep you warm," he told her, patting the plain, wool cloth. Lavi scowled.

"You didn't steal that, did you?" Lavi asked him, almost as if scolding the boy. Allen turned to the man, crossing his arms.

"What? Would you rather she freeze? Don't you care about her?"

"But it belongs to somebody else," Lavi grumbled.

"Not to anyone who needs it more than Lenalee!"

Lavi looked as if he might reply for a moment, but let the matter drop, looking to the hawk with hurt in his eye. He then turned his gaze to window at the rain outside, and in a low, soft tone addressed Allen once again.

"Take care of her. Tell her I love her." Without another word, Lavi threw open the door and bounded off into the trees, shutting the door behind him weakly. Allen frowned, watching the door as if Lavi would suddenly come back. He felt bad about arguing with the man as he did, but the truth was, Lavi was just too stubborn, and Allen began to suspect that Lavi cared more about taking his revenge on the Earl than about Lenalee herself. But the truth was, he had grown a fondness for the both of them, and now hated the Earl more than ever. Allen just didn't understand what they did to deserve this cruel fate. What - falling in love? Why was that such a crime? Allen sighed, turning to face Lenalee, who was still in her hawk form. It was so unfair. Lenalee had suffered too much, and he began to wonder how she managed to live every day and night like this. Allen never felt so strong about anything before. And now Lavi was going to throw away their last chance to set everything right - only because of his own selfish desire to kill the Earl! It was just all wrong. Allen began to take care of Goliath, hoping to clear his thoughts.

"Ugh, I'm starving..." Allen moaned, watching as Goliath greedily devoured some food Lavi had gathered for him before they had settled in. He turned to the hawk. "Do you understand me, Lenalee?" The hawk didn't seem to make any sort of response, but Allen found that talking took his mind off of other matters. So he continued, taking the saddle off of Goliath and draping it over the stable.

"You know, I used to eat hawk for dinner. We'd kill one almost every night. Mana would always cook it just right – it was my favorite thing. I've probably eaten hundreds of them," Allen said, knowing for sure Lenalee couldn't understand. He started to run a slender hand down Goliath's back.

"I guess it serves me right for getting involved in this nightmare," his eyes wandered back to the hawk, "Daymare, and then '_a night without day, a day without night_'... what's that supposed to mean anyway? Makes about as much sense as the rest of it." Allen sighed, racking his brain for an answer, but coming up with nothing. How could there possibly be a day without night? Or how could it be both, or neither?

"Oh, you'll be transforming soon, won't you? I'll just leave for a moment..." Allen realized that the hawk seemed to shift on her perch anxiously, as if her consciousness had suddenly returned. Allen stepped outside, crossing his arms in the cold as soon as he felt the rain pummel his white hair. His attention soon wavered to a large fire in the small settlement as he stood under the trees for the little shelter they provided. The people were dancing drunkenly around the fire, locking arms and swinging one another about, laughing loudly and some singing. Allen smiled, studying their moves. They must be celebrating something. At least they were happy. Even in rain like this. His attention wavered as a small twig snapped behind him, and Allen whirled around just in time to catch a flash of emerald before the wolf disappeared into the darkness. That must mean Lenalee had changed as well. He made his way back to the stables, knocking on the door lightly.

"Miss? I'm coming in, alright? I hope you're finished dressing."

He returned to find Lenalee petting Goliath, wearing the frock he'd left for her. She faced him as he entered, smiling.

"So we meet again, Mouse."

"You remembered me?"

"Of course," she then pulled at the wool he'd left her, "From you?"

"Yeah," Allen said, joining her near Goliath's stable.

"Thank you, it was very thoughtful of you," she said, causing Allen to flush, hiding his face by raising an arm to brush the wet mane from the horse's eyes. "How is he?"

"Alive, like you. He's hopeful. We're going back to Aquila." He didn't want to upset her with the information that Lavi wasn't going about it the right way.

"Really..." Lenalee said sadly, raising a hand to her lips. Allen's hopes went out the window as she seemed to become upset anyway. "So he's really going to kill the Bishop."

Allen watched her as she sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. "It's no surprise, though. I've known this since the very first night. The first night that... that I woke with a wolf. He was just so confused... and so angry. When I think about it, I just wish that..." her voice was so soft that Allen had to stand closer to her to hear her speak, "Sometimes I wish it had never happened. I was so happy with him before, but now, all that it's been since then is pain and sadness. If I'd never met him, none of this -"

"Don't say that Lenalee!" Allen cried, taking her by the hands, "We'll find a way to fix all this."

"And what do you suppose we do?" Lenalee asked. Allen stared at her long and hard before smiling, and she raised a brow.

"Dance."

"Dance? Oh, Allen, I'm not sure. It's been so long-"

"It's only practice, Lenalee. I cannot dance so well either. But please, just try it? We'll enjoy a cup of sweet wine afterward."

"Allen, I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Allen hooked her arm around his and began swinging them about, jumping and twirling to an unheard tune. Before long, both were laughing and crying out in joy, finding a rhythm and dancing with pronounced goofiness. They both became too dizzy to continue, and parted their arms, sending them both flying into haystacks in opposite corners of the room, laughing. Lenalee tried to stand, but fell back down as her legs gave out under her from all the excitement. Allen managed to stand and helped her up. After she finished laughing, she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'll have my cup of sweet wine now."

"Alright."

Allen led her to the door, stopping to pull the glove from his left hand. Lenalee saw this movement, and laughed at him.

"So now you intend to protect me as well? I'm flattered. It's just wine, Allen."

"Actually, the truth is, he'll kill me if anything happens to you. I had to steal your dress, I don't think the people out there would be too fond of me."

"You _stole_ my dress?" Lenalee returned over her shoulder as she opened the door, but stopped dead in her tracks as a figure appeared before them, holding an unusual cloak to shield herself from the rain. The figure was barely visible in the darkness, but her golden eyes almost glowed. When Lenalee saw what the cloak was made of, she screamed.

"Lenalee!" Allen pushed her behind him, getting a glimpse of the figure himself. The light from the stable illuminated her face, which was dark, covered from the forehead up by equally dark blue hair. She wore a cloak made of wolf skin that shielded her from the wet, and at that moment, Allen knew why it had scared Lenalee. The girl smiled, a facial movement that seemed sinister with the way her eyes moved with it.

"Lenalee, eh?"

"Lenalee, get inside!"

"No!" Allen activated his arm and forced her back into the stable. He glared at the newcomer, unsure who she was or what she wanted, but knew without a doubt she meant trouble.

"Lay one hand on her and you'll find it on the ground next to your head! Leave us alone!" Allen growled, hoping that he sounded tougher than he felt. He wasn't sure if he would really do such a thing, but if he had to, he could give a rough beating.

"Easy there, you're frightening me," the girl mocked. Allen clenched his teeth.

"Are you deft? Go away!" The girl shrugged, chuckling.

"Very well..." she said, turning and walking around the stable into the woods. He watched her until her form disappeared into the darkness. With a sinking feeling, he realized that she could have been a huntress. The wolf skin was hinting at something – something he didn't like. He was sure Lavi could take care of himself...

He turned to go back into the stable, sighing loudly and wondering if Lenalee was still in the mood for wine.

"What a terrible night. Hey, Lenalee, is – ah!" he jumped aside as Lenalee came charging out the door on Goliath. "Lenalee!"

She ignored him as she rode the horse into the woods after the huntress. Allen nearly ripped his hair out in his panic. "Crap! Oh, crap! He's going to kill me! _He'll slaughter me, Mana!_"

* * *

Lenalee figured that she could catch the mysterious girl while on Goliath, but it seemed that she disappeared among the wood. Lenalee cursed. She couldn't see well in the dark, and the cackles resounding through the trees only served to frustrate her further.

"Show yourself, coward!" she cried. The Asian girl dismounted, activating her boots and slowly proceeding into the forest, her eyes wide in a vain attempt to see things better. With her eyes fixed directly ahead of her, she didn't notice the large trap that was sitting near where she stepped, missing it by mere inches.

Road watched her wander as she laid more traps, a wide smile finding it's way onto her face. Things were indeed going as she had planned. Lenalee had fallen for the subliminal threat she posed wearing the cloak – which she liked very much by the way – and had followed her into the forest. She was the perfect bait to lure the wolf into one of her traps. As a plus, since she had the girl in her possession now, maybe she could bring her back with the wolf. Yes, the Earl would be very pleased. He would certainly pay well, she trusted him in that. And Road believed she was pretty good at haggling with the man.

The two of them spun on the spot as the pained cry of a wounded animal resounded through the trees. The two ladies rushed toward the sound. Road, who was closer, reached the animal first, identifying the beast as a black wolf. Its neck was trapped between both sides of the trap, which had clamped down harshly on its victim. Road smiled in triumph, bending down and examining the creature. She lifted one of the lids, frowning in disappointment. No green to be found on this one. She quickly reset the trap, flinching in disgust as the wolf bled out. That's when Lenalee appeared, stopping cold and allowing both hands to fly up to her mouth as she screamed in horror at the sight, tears forming in her eyes. Her heart raced. Lavi was dead. Lavi died a horrible, painful death. And he couldn't even die a human. She was too late. She couldn't save him. Her screams echoed about the forest and she dropped to her knees. What would she do?

Road rose to her feet, smiling. She didn't know. To her, the wolf was dead. Perfect. Her screams would attract the real one, the one she was looking for. All the better.

As if on cue, there was snarling and Road turned. A wolf approached, single green eye glowing in pure fury. Road withdrew a pike from her bag, smiling.

"There you are, beastie. Come to Road now," she said playfully, stepping toward the wolf. The animal continued to snarl and bark, circling around the girl and attempting to get to Lenalee. The latter looked up from her tears, relief washing over her as she noticed the color of his eye and his behavior. She then saw the pike Road held.

"No!" she cried, jumping to her feet and kicking out at Road. With her back turned to her, Road hadn't enough time to predict or dodge the attack. Lenalee hit her square in the back with her dark boots, sending the girl cascading forward into one of her own traps, which shut tight over her neck. Road gasped as the cruel device had slammed shut over her windpipe, blocking off all oxygen. She rolled around on the ground, pulling fruitlessly at the trap as it slowly killed her.

Lenalee watched her, making no move to help her. She didn't like seeing anyone die, but she could not forgive this one. As the girl soon became motionless, there was another horrible snap and another pained cry. Lenalee gasped, startled as her beloved Lavi had been trying to get to her side, but managed to step right into another of Road's traps. The wolf whimpered and howled, tugging his forepaw and trying to free himself while biting at the trap. Lenalee rushed to his side.

"No, no, stop struggling, you'll make it worse," she said softly, trying to calm the poor animal. Lavi obeyed, still whimpering and looking at his front leg in pain. Lenalee searched the device, looking for something that would release it. Frustrated, she decided to simply pull the two halves apart. After much strain, she managed to part them, and Lavi quickly moved his bleeding leg away, whining as he attempted to set it back on the ground, and then quickly removing it as it apparently hurt him. Lenalee sighed, petting his soft fur and taking hold of his paw, which was badly injured.

"It'll get infected if you stay out here," she said. The wolf eyed her sadly, and she smiled, trying to comfort him, "I know. Let's go inside. You're soaked." Before getting up to lead him back to the stable, Lenalee draped both arms around the wolf's neck, burying her face into his soft fur, crying.

"I'm sorry, Lavi."

* * *

**Noahs are mortal! -gasp!-  
**

A glimpse of the future!: _Lavi and Allen challenge one anothers' trust. Lavi should probably be thankful that Allen has such a big heart - would anyone else have patience with the man's short temper? It's time for Allen to return the favor. You may wanna dress warmly for this one._


	8. Breaking the Ice

**Gah, me has my wrist in a brace, and it makes it difficult to type. But oh well. I got it done anyway. :) Here's part 8, so, enjoy!**

* * *

_Her legs crossed, she sat over the grave belonging to her brother, staring blankly at the small rock they had used to mark that spot on the ground as his. Lenalee hadn't moved for hours, not even to eat. Lavi had been watching her, worried. He wasn't quite sure what he should say in a situation such as this one. He knew she was fragile, and what with the events of that night, Lavi decided it was best to give her time. However, he didn't think they would find safety this close to Aquila. The two had taken refuge tucked into the woods near Lenalee's hot spring, and had buried Komui beneath a small tree that had just sprouted, and was sure to someday grow over the grave. _

_Lavi wouldn't dare start a fire, as it would surely attract Mikk. Instead, he decided to get acquainted with Kanda's black horse. The stallion didn't seem to like him very much, but would reluctantly allow him to care for him. Lavi managed to lead the horse into a spring not far from Lenalee, so that he could keep an eye on her. There, he watered and bathed the horse. Lavi figured with a bit of bonding, he could get the beast to like him more, but probably never to be as loyal as he was to Kanda. He had never owned any animals in his lifetime, since Bookman would never allow it, thus Lavi found this a completely new experience. Lenalee was the horse expert, not him._

"_His name is Goliath," Lavi turned to see Lenalee by his side, petting Goliath's sleek mane, "That's the name Kanda gave him when he was born."_

"_Really? Goliath..."_

"_He's a sweet boy, really. I raised him that way."_

"_You?"_

"_Mhm."_

_Lenalee stopped stroking the horse's mane and brought her hand down over her chest. A small smile crept over her face. _

"_I remember Komui said he was a bit too small for the name," she said, smiling while fighting back the tears, "And that's when I promised I would make him big and strong, to live up to his name."_

_She looked up at Lavi, and that's when he noticed she was trying so hard to be strong. He couldn't be more proud. Without thinking, his arm coiled around her and soon he found himself in a tight embrace. Lenalee buried her face into his shoulder._

"_I miss him, Lavi," she said, shallow, but not crying, "But I'm going to move on. I won't let his death be meaningless. If we get caught, Komui's sacrifice wouldn't be worth anything, would it?"_

"_I'll be here for you, Lenalee, whatever you decide to do."_

"_Don't leave me, Lavi,"_

_Lavi watched over her shoulder as the sun began to appear behind the horizon, and somehow, by some weird phenomenon, something didn't feel right. His suspicions were realized when Lenalee's skin began to feel rather strange under his touch - as if it were rippling. He figured she was simply shaking from the fatigue..._

"_I won't, Lenalee. Never." _

_Lenalee winced as the feeling became more intense, and her hands gripped tightly at Lavi's traveling cloak. Lavi pulled back to look her in the eyes._

"_Lenalee? What's wrong?" he asked, worried. Lenalee shook her head, releasing him and backing away._

"_I-it's nothing, Lavi. I think I'm just sore..." Lavi seemed unconvinced. _

"_No, sit down," he ordered, taking her by the hand and attempting to lead her to the ground. She knelt in the dirt, hands clenching tight to his arms._

"_Lavi... I feel strange..." she said, her breathing fast. Lavi felt her forehead – maybe she had gotten a fever? No, she felt fine. _

"_It's alright, you're just tired. You need to relax."_

"_No, it's not.. that... oh! Lavi! It – it h-hurts!" Lavi's single jade eye widened as the unthinkable happened. Lenalee's form shimmered in the light, and suddenly, her skin was replaced by feathers, her shrieks and screams becoming softer and shrill. Soon her form was that of a hawk, its piercing cries ringing out across the forest as she soared away from Lavi under the rising sun. Lavi, his heart racing, couldn't believe what had just happened. He raised an arm after her, begging for her to come back, but to no avail, as the hawk disappeared under the clouds. Lavi quivered in confusion and fear._

"_**Lenalee!**" he shouted, pleading for her, "No! This can't be real! **LENALEE!**"_

Lavi awoke with a start, groaning and falling back into the snow. What a horrible memory - the beginning of this life-like nightmare. He placed a hand over his aching head, pulling it back as he felt a twinge of pain. After a quick observation, he realized that his hand was coiled in bloodstained cloth. He knew he wouldn't be able to remember how that had happened, and decided he might ask Allen about it later. Pulling himself up, he got dressed and made to prepare some breakfast for Allen, knowing it would likely save him from further headache if Allen's stomach wasn't growling all day.

Sure enough, the wonderful aroma made by cooking fish woke Allen from a dead sleep, and the boy soon found himself chowing down on the meal. Lavi watched as he himself munched on an apple.

"What a night..." Allen finally said between mouthfuls.

"What happened?" Lavi asked as he began to prepare Goliath for travel.

Allen had hesitated for a moment, masking the feeling as he chewed, as he wanted anything but to bring out Lavi's ire. Even more so because Lavi seemed to be in a good mood for a change, and breaking it meant he would be without dinner that night.

"Ah... nothing I couldn't handle," was his decided answer. Truthfully, he had spent most of the night searching for the missing girl, and when he finally ran into her, she was leading a wounded Lavi back to the stable, and he had soon collapsed from utter exhaustion while she tended to his bloody paw. But Lavi didn't need to know that bit.

The cry of the hawk rang out across the woods, startling Allen. Lavi raised his arm for her, but this time she ignored the gesture and perched instead on Allen's arm. In shock, Allen laughed nervously, trying to send the creature to Lavi, who appeared utterly surprised, his only visible brow raised in suspicion.

"Haha! It's a good little hawk, nice bird! Now go on, go to your master." Allen thrust his arm up in attempt to bring the bird to the air, but she didn't budge, further fueling Allen nervousness.

"Last night."

"Lavi?" Allen questioned.

"Tell me about it."

"What's to tell?" Allen again raised his arm in attempt to rid of the hawk, who insisted on staying with him (_"Go on... go, go!"_), "We ran into a wolf hunter on the way out for a little drink, but she was no trouble, really!"

"You left?"

"Well, we spent most of the night in the stable," Allen lied. Lavi narrowed his eye dangerously.

"And what were you doing in the stable?"

"We were just changing clothes."

"What?!"

"Not together of course!"

"You left her _alone_?!"

"No!"

"So you did change together!"

"_No, no, no!_" Allen was now so red he could rival Lavi's hair. He finally gave up with the hawk, running over to Lavi and connecting their arms to transfer her (_"Take her, take her,"_).

"Lavi, really, she's a wonderful girl if I've ever met one. But the truth is, all she did was talk about you, and worry about you."

"Allen..." the cursed boy's eyes wandered up to see Lavi, who had paused while in the midst of securing the saddle around Goliath, "Every moment you spend with her... I... I envy you." Allen watched as his dark emerald gazed down at his injured hand.

"But," that hand clenched into a fist which he brought down to his side, his gaze returning to Allen, "You can tell me. Tell me what she said. I'll know if the words were hers."

Lavi leaned against the black stallion, who began to nibble at the cloth over his shoulder. Allen frowned. He wasn't sure what, exactly, he should tell the man. For a moment he glanced at the hawk, who was perched on Lavi's wrist. He was no expert on avian emotions, but he could tell that if Lenalee had a voice right now, she would be vouching for him to tell the truth. Yes, the truth. It wasn't always the best choice, but it had saved his life once.

"She was sad at first," Allen began slowly, choosing his words with care, "Then she was talking about the day you met, and she... well... she cursed it." Since his eyes were lowered, Allen missed Lavi's pained expression, the latter unable to look at the hawk perched on his wrist as guilt and other mixed emotions flooded his conscience, looking to the ground in shame. "But then I saw her remember just how happy you were together, you know, before all this." Allen gazed up as Lavi returned it with a sad expression.

"Her eyes, they glowed. No, she was glowing! She loves you more than life, Lavi. She's had to!" With all the conflicting emotions on his face, Allen found it hard to tell what Lavi made of all this, and he almost thought the Bookman was going to throw a rock at him for a moment. But then the man eyed him calmly.

"Allen, did you know that hawks and wolves mate for life?" Allen nodded slowly, and Lavi frowned, turning away.

"Yeah... the Bishop... he didn't even leave us that. Not even that." As he returned to preparing Goliath for travel, Allen was left speechless, staring after the man in pity. But he still didn't understand. Lavi just seemed so miserable. Why wouldn't his stubbornness listen to reason? If he were to go on like this – he would be damned to his half-life for the rest of his days! Allen had to do something – anything. He had to tell Lenalee.

* * *

Allen, who was eagerly awaiting nightfall, had fallen into a trance-like state, lost in his thoughts as he and Lavi continued toward Aquila. At first, this behavior seemed like a miracle to Lavi, but as the silence dragged on, it became something that was almost too difficult to ignore. Just as Lavi began to wonder if Allen was still alive, the boy would speak up and begin to argue with Lavi about his mission, and trying fruitlessly to convince him to wait just two more days - to try Cross's plan. Every time, Lavi regretted having wanted Allen's voice in his ears, and immediately shot down his attempts on sight, plunging the two back into silence again.

The white-haired boy began to notice how Lavi's mood had slowly been diminishing the closer they came to the destined city. His good mood had long since gone missing, and now a more intense Lavi rode Goliath. With his hair held up by that black headband, Lavi appeared more alert and ready to kill anything in his way, namely the Earl. Allen started to despair that he might have been too late to convince Lavi to take a different course of action.

Late day, their silence was once again disturbed by a drunken bellow from behind. Lavi turned Goliath around to see none other than Cross Marian, at which Allen promptly slipped off the horse.

"Master! Why did you-? Where are you-?!" Allen stammered, regaining his footing and gaping at his sensei.

"Out of fuel, why else? I've got all the women I need, after all," the red-haired man thumbed to the cart he was driving, where sat two beautiful women dressed in gorgeous, albeit revealing attire. The dark haired woman smiled and waved, at which Allen swore he could feel a nosebleed coming on.

"And I see you're still on your way to kill the fat man," the drunk observed, pointing an accusing finger at his fellow red-head, "A shame you won't wait another day, such a beautiful girl you're throwing away-"

"I'm not throwing her away!" Lavi roared, turning red with anger, "I will be in Aquila tomorrow, and be it by my hammer or fangs, the Bishop will lie dead, and there will be an end to it - one way or another!"

"But that's only one more day!" said Allen, stepping in, "What will it matter if you would just wait one more day? Please, Lavi, it could make all the difference!"

"The brat is right, for a change," Cross added, nodding. Lavi glared at the both of them, seething with anger and feeling rather betrayed.

"Nonsense," he said darkly, "Just... you... Allen, just stay with your master."

"No!" Allen cried, having every reason not to follow through with it (but mainly because he was afraid of the man), "I'm going with you. You can't get in the cathedral without me, remember? You said so yourself."

"I _will_ get in without your help," Lavi growled, kicking Goliath into a gallop and leaving Allen behind with his rather amused master. Allen grimaced. This was just perfect. Now Lavi didn't even trust him anymore. He thought he could help Lavi. Thought he could save him... him and Lenalee...

"You're all just brats, aren't you?" Cross chuckled, lighting up and taking a long drag. Allen sighed, walking off.

"I guess I should have known better, Mana. Every happy moment in my life has come from lying."

* * *

They followed the tracks Goliath had left in the snow until they reached a small hill overlooking the frozen lake. Allen recognized it – he remembered feeling rather hungry here...

He tried to ignore his sudden desire to eat, running ahead of Cross when he spotted a small encampment illuminated by a fire. Allen stumbled down the hill, tripping over his own footing and landing clumsily before a very surprised Lenalee. Picking himself up and brushing the ice from his tunic, Lenalee giggled at his silliness.

"Where were you at? I got worried when I didn't see you after sunset," she mused, blinking as she observed his grim expression. "What's wrong, Allen?"

"This may be the last evening we meet."

"What? Why?"

"Lavi is going to kill the Earl tomorrow," a horrified expression overtook Lenalee's features, and she raised a hand to accompany her worried lips.

"No! What if... no, they want him dead! Mikk is... Mikk will kill him!"

"I mean, we have an idea, but Lavi won't listen. That's why we need your help." The girl paused.

"_My_ help? What can I possibly do?"

"We've got a plan."

* * *

After Allen had laid out the plan to Lenalee, she had agreed and they set to work. Cross had suggested earlier that they could trap Lavi while in wolf form. That way, they could force the man to listen to reason. Lenalee commented that it might also delay Lavi from getting to Aquila on time. While Lenalee called out for the beast, Allen and Cross set to work digging a large hole to trap him in. Anita and Cloud watched from the warmth of the fire, chattering amongst themselves and making bets on how long it would take Allen to realize that Cross wasn't really doing anything, and that Allen was doing all the work. Anita wouldn't stop giggling at how much the two were bickering.

"Quit punching my liver, brat!"

"This hole isn't big enough! Master, you're hogging all my elbow room!"

"Well make it bigger then! It's a wolf that will have to fit in here!"

"You're not helping at all!"

Anita cursed under her breath as Cloud snickered and held out a hand to collect her winnings.

"What are you doing, brat, help me up!"

"My God, master, when you kneel before the altar, how do you manage to get up again?!"

"You speak as if I'm fat, you sacrilegious little imp!"  
"You may not be fat, but you're heavier than I can handle!"

"Shut up and use your Innocence, then!"

The two women watched, amused, as Cross's hand appeared out of the hole and made a grab for Goliath's reigns. Finally with his grip, the man hoisted himself upward. (_"That's it! I'm not old, damn you, stupid apprentice!"_)

"He's coming!" Lenalee cried, pointing out a small black figure trotting out of the woods from the other side of the lake. Alarmed, Allen crawled out of the hole atop Cross's back, sending the man into the hole once more. (_"Brat!"_)

"We're ready, miss!" Allen announced, much to the annoyance of Cross, who was once again trying to get out of the hole. Lenalee watched warily as the animal began crossing the ice, padding a little too close to the center...

Her eyes widened in terror as the ice beneath his paws shattered under his weight, sending his bottom half into the freezing water with a fearful howl. The girl shrieked, running out onto the ice to rescue him.

"No! Miss! Stop!"

Ignoring Allen's pleading, she continued on, and not an arm's length away from the beast did she, too, fall into the icy water. Now with the two struggling to get back on their feet, Allen panicked, wondering what he should do. He activated his arm, which grew into a giant claw. Now if he could just get a little closer, he could fish Lenalee as well as the wolf out. He cautiously made his way onto the ice, slowly as not to make it crack under him as well.

"Lie down, idiot!" Cross barked, having made it out of the hole. Allen nodded, laying down on his stomach and crawling ever closer. Cross threw him a rope from his wagon, tying it to one of the posts and holding it tight as Allen brought it closer to Lenalee. He winced as the ice creaked and groaned beneath him, telling him he was going a little too far. But finally, he reached Lenalee and handed her the rope. She was easily pulled out of the water, and made it back to Cross, who handed her off to Anita and Cloud. The two ladies draped a warm blanket over her. Knowing Lenalee was safe, Allen then crawled further out to where Lavi was slowly drowning. With his human hand, Allen reached out and made a grab for Lavi's front paw, but the wolf proved too strong and pulled Allen into the water with him.

"Allen!" Lenalee shrieked as the two were dragged under. Throwing off the blanket, she hurried back out onto the ice, careful this time, using the rope to guide her to where Allen and the wolf were. As the two resurfaced, Lavi began to claw at Allen's chest and shoulders, trying desperately to free himself of the cold. As the beast ripped and tore at Allen's flesh, Lenalee managed to throw the rope around his neck and, on her third attempt, managed to pull the frightened creature out of the water. The wolf ran over to the fire immediately, chilled and exhausted, his entire being shaking and looking off toward his love. Lenalee meanwhile helped Allen out of the water, and the two made it back to the camp, shivering all over and utterly exhausted by the whole ordeal.

Soaking wet, Lenalee threw her arms around the shivering wolf's neck, sobbing into his freezing fur. Allen panted, falling on his back and allowing Anita and Cloud to drape warm blankets over him, Lenalee, and Lavi. Cross watched, returning to his drug and wondering to himself what the hell all that was for, and angered at what a waste of time the hole had been. Lenalee looked up at Cross desperately, tears running down her cheeks.

"Please, Cross, we can't go on like this!" she sobbed, holding the wolf closer, his single green eye wide in shock, "We must be allowed to live as humans! You must help us, please!"

With a long drag, Cross eyed her, almost with sympathy. Exhaling, he leaned in and pet the fur on Lavi's head.

"Then I'd get the truth through his thick skull."

* * *

That night, Lenalee insisted she slept next to Lavi in the hole they had dug to trap him in. The poor wolf had been shivering almost violently that night. Anita and Lenalee had been petting him for a while before they retired, as they warmed up by the fire. Anita wouldn't stop bugging Cloud about how soft he was in his wolf form, and thus made the blonde retire early out of annoyance, with Cross not far behind. Now that the sun was appearing over the trees, Allen walked over the the hole out of curiosity, peering down at the two sleeping forms. Lenalee was curled up with the wolf under her arm, as if she intended to keep him warm all night. Allen couldn't help but smile at her devotion and love toward him. He almost felt sorry for her that Lavi seemed to care more about killing the Earl than of her.

As a glint of sun appeared on her face, Lenalee's eye popped open, and she slowly shifted her position so that she was looking down at Lavi with a hopeful expression. She watched her lover with longing eyes as his own lupine emerald blinked open groggily. Tendrils of light hit his form, and his black fur began to ripple under the rays. Turning his head upward, he caught sight of Lenalee looking down at him, her eyes becoming a bright golden color, like that of a hawk's. His mind still only half-human, his eyes still half-lupine, Lavi stared hopefully at his lover, holding out his hand to touch hers, which was illuminated by the sunshine through her fingers. But just as they might touch, Lenalee's form changed and the hawk replaced her. The Bookman cried out despairingly, reaching for her in vain as she soared out of sight.

Allen shook, having just witnessed the whole thing. Just with that, their woe was painfully clear, and Allen wished that it would just end. By any means – if there was anything he could sacrifice – if only it would just end! He couldn't bare to see them suffer any longer. Lavi punched the ice, letting out an anguished roar that was part wolf, part sorrow, and carried with it such a sad message that Allen thought it might even cause tears in Cross's eyes. Of course, the noise at least, woke the man from his slumber with a loud curse to the Gods above. Lavi was brought to his knees in the hole, and Allen decided it was best to leave him alone, as there was nothing he could do to console his grief.

* * *

"Where is my hammer?!" Lavi cried out in frustration.

By the time Lavi broke out of his seething state of dangerous angst, Allen had found out that the hole was no obstacle to him, that he had in fact, escaped it easily. However, the angst brought with the events of that morning proved too much and was indeed the cause of Lavi's murderous mood. The man had ignored further protest and was still headstrong to reach Aquila and kill the Earl. He was only missing one thing.

"It's gone!" Allen finally said, angrily, "It fell through the ice last night, crossing the lake!"

"Damn you!" Lavi hissed, marching up to the boy, who was tucked into the back of Cross's wagon, "That hammer was the last bit of honor I possessed!"

"Honor!" Allen cried, "Don't you get it, Lavi?! There's no mission of honor now! You have a chance at life, a new life – with her!"

"I need that hammer to kill the Bishop!"

Lavi was now so enraged that he lost all sense of decency. He grabbed Allen by the tunic and pulled him up and out of the wagon with incredible strength, probably brought on by the anger and hurt that he kept bottled up for two years. Cross simply watched, Anita with hands clasped over her mouth and Cloud with a shocked expression.

"Go ahead, kill me!" Allen spat angrily, "Kill yourself while you're at it! Why don't you kill her, too! It's not like you ever cared about her as much as yourself anyway!"

"Shut up!" Lavi barked, his voice accented by hurt, and he threw Allen to the ground roughly. His tunic fell open to reveal the wounds on his chest. The Bookman was suddenly jerked out of his inhuman rage as he observed the wounds.

"What's that?" he asked warily, pointing with his injured hand to the angry red scratches and gashes that looked suspiciously like claw marks. Cross gave him an indifferent stare.

"That happened last night while he was saving your damn life."

In shock, Lavi gazed over to the frozen lake as the vague memory came rushing back. It was foggy, but he made out the feelings and emotions attached to it. Feeling cold, trying to escape, fear...

He looked to the ground in shame, then bent down and offered a hand to Allen.

"Forgive me..." he whispered. As he was pulled to his feet, Allen was shocked to find himself in a tight embrace. Blinking in confusion, he looked up to see the older boy looking down at him, a tear forming behind his brilliant jade eye, which was quickly blinked away.

"I'll show you idiots how to cage a wolf."

* * *

**Awwwww. I loved writing that last bit. I felt all fluffy inside.**

_Next!:_ _With Lavi now willing to try out Cross's plan, things seem a bit more hopeful. But - a day without night, and a night without day? What does that mean, exactly? Is Lavi even willing to find out? The moment of his destiny has arrived. Allen wants to help, and all Cross wants is his drink._


	9. Eclipse

**Here it is, the very last... it didn't quite turn out the way I wanted it to, but I think it turned out pretty good. x)  
Hehe, I'm sure if you've ever uploaded a final chapter, you might know just how nervous it makes me. Well, here goes!!**

* * *

It had taken what seemed like ages for Lavi to convince Cross that he couldn't intoxicate himself in any way while they entered Aquila. Even so, the man had managed to sneak a single bottle of booze out of his wagon before they had cleared it out and turned it into a cage. They had draped a blanket over it, concealing the fearsome wolf inside, before setting off for the holy city. Anita, Cloud, and Lenalee all sat up front with a very pleased looking Cross, all three women dressed in black cloaks that hid their faces from prying eyes. The fact that he had been able to sit out the entire ride into Aquila, with Goliath pulling the wagon along with Cross's lazy bay horse, sitting next to three gorgeous women was enough to satisfy the man, and it was able to keep him sober for just the right moments, such as this one.

"Hold! What have we here?" barked the portly guard as they approached.

"What do you think? A gift for the fa- His Grace, a fine pelt for his wall," Cross returned, with forced politeness. His companion, a lanky figure with a hooked nose and beady black eyes, tore at the cloth concealing the black wolf, which jumped at the cage, snapping his fangs at the man and growling. The guard stumbled back onto the stony ground, cursing under his breath.

"Heh. I've never had the pleasure of killing a wolf before," the first guard growled, drawing his blade and attempting to stick it into the cage. Next to Cross, Lenalee tensed, grabbing his arm tight.

"How strange," Cross drawled, sarcasm accenting his voice, "That's exactly what His Grace the Bishop said. I'm sure he'll understand if you deprive him of that pleasure, he's a very forgiving sort of man."

At that, the guard paled, swallowing hard and sheathing his blade. He knew very well just how forgiving His Grace could _really _be. With one last glance at the growling beast, he threw the tarp over the cage again, concealing it from view.

"Very well. Pass on."

Cross smirked at the man, wondering somewhere in the back of his mind where he'd put that alcohol.

"Wise decision," he commented, as the guard bellowed for his fellow men to clear the post, "Be glad you aren't a complete idiot, like a certain somebody I know of."

Before the guard could ask who he was talking about, the wagon began to move into the city. Nobody noticed the lithe figure that disappeared from underneath the wagon and into the river gates...

* * *

"This-!" The grimy gate forced him to plunge under the murky water once again, taking in a huge breath and diving below the drainage gate, on the other side of which accumulated unknown filth that couldn't make it through the grate. The aroma of the balmy, dry winter air left him the moment he emerged.

"- is so gross!!" Allen gasped as his snow white hair broke the surface. Once again, the teen found himself in the Aquilan sewers, this time to get in rather than out. The underground passageways didn't seem too different from the last time he had been here, which he was thankful for, at least. The fact that they were vaguely familiar allowed him to easily find the pipe that lead upward – directly into the Grand Cathedral of Aquila, where took place the morning mass.

"Well, I've come full circle here, Mana. I'd like to think there was some higher meaning to all of this, it really would reflect well on you!"

As he had done before, Allen used his claw to climb steadily up the drain, but was stopped as one of the clergymen stood over the grate (_"Damn..."_). Allen rolled his eyes, giving the grate a good push. The clergy man gasped and looked down, but failed to move from his position. Allen grimaced, with only one more option at his disposal. Using the tip of his claw, he jabbed it into the sole of the man's foot. Finally, the man jumped off the grate with a surprised cry, startling another clergyman next to him. When the latter gave him a strange look, he quickly muttered something that sounded like "mice" (_"Rats?! Here?! Scandalous."_) Allen almost chuckled at the irony as the two men returned their attention to the mass.

This was perfect because, with nobody's eyes on the floor and all attention directed toward the front, Allen was easily able to lift the drain away (alert as he was for approaching feet) and slip out of the pipe. Cautiously, he made his way behind a marble column, rejoicing at his amazing luck as he discovered a white cloak hung up on the wall beside him. Draping the disguise around his skinny body, hiding his face behind its milky white hood, Allen weaved his way cleverly through the shadows toward the back of the mass, where he was frustrated to find two guards already working on locking it up. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, gathering his nerves. He would have to do this fast.

'_Alright, Mana, if you ever decided to count up my good karma, now would be the time to return the favor,_'

* * *

"It's too late, the mass will be over soon!" Lavi growled impatiently, pacing before the other red headed man who was now indulging in his well-earned booze, sitting between Anita and Cloud. "I can wait no longer, old man. If Allen has done his job, I can kill the Bishop now."

"_Old man...??_ Stupid brat... I'm hardly even forty..." Cross hissed under his breath, which Lavi didn't hear. The younger man stopped his pacing and looked up at the hawk perched atop the wagon. The small party was hidden in an absent street behind the cathedral where nobody ever wandered into. Lavi sighed, as if he were saying farewell to her, then brought his green eye back down to Cross.

"I'm going. If the service ends peacefully, if the cathedral bells begin to toll... then you'll know that I've failed." Lavi began to unfasten Goliath from the wagon, and Cross eyed him quizzically.

"But-!" Anita cried suddenly, glancing up at the hawk, whose face was hidden by a small hood, then back again at Lavi, "What about Lenalee? What will happen to her?"

Lavi paused, looking to the ground in sorrow.

"I beg you, take her life. Quickly. Painlessly."

Cross snorted. (_"Idiot."_) Lavi shot him a glare.

"I ask one thing, old man - take her life!" Lavi barked, voice accented by his desperation. His eye then melted away sadly, "She wouldn't want to be... like this. Forever."

"She _wouldn't_ be if you'd just hold your impatience!" Cross bellowed, standing, swaying, and falling back on his bottom.

"I'm not impatient, I'm taking my opportunity and embracing it!" Lavi countered, climbing atop Goliath, "Just know this; I'm grateful."

Cross looked up skeptically.

"I'm thankful for everything you've done for me. For her. Just know that I forgive you."

With that, Lavi galloped away to confront his destiny. Cross watched him go, frowning. He then sighed long and deep, draping an arm around the two ladies, who watched the younger man with worry.

"God help him."

_The dawn emerged, bringing with it Lavi's new found humanity. Just as he predicted. He could feel his form – the soft skin, his messy red hair, the tired muscles that had been working on their own all night long to run about the forest. And the cool air, biting at his skin, daring him to open his eyes and face the reality of his current situation. The same skin that, so longingly, begged his body to move from the cold snow it lay in. But he didn't want to. _

_His fingers twitched. What did this all mean? Lavi groaned in frustrated confusion; bafflement that was slowly making shapes in his mind. He couldn't remember anything. Why was he here, without his clothing, in the snow? The last he remembered was the sun going down, and then everything after was a blur. The night, a horse, a girl... Lenalee..._

_His eyes shot open as the hawk flew overhead, cries piercing the air. The morning sky, overcast and white as the snow he lay in, met his eyes. Nothing seemed unusual about it. Nothing at all. It was just a normal day, a day like yesterday, and a day as tomorrow soon would be. But something was amiss. His jade eye followed the hawk in the sky._

_Lenalee._

_There was a whimper to his left. As his head turned, the small, fearful face of a young girl hid behind the small fence post. Tears streaking her face, she watched Lavi with her blue eyes wide and alert, looking so alone and helpless. Why was she looking at him like that? _

_Lavi sat up, bringing a hand behind his neck. It was awfully sore, almost as if..._

_He brought his hand back before his face, examining the red that tinted his skin. It was then he felt the wound where he's been struck. The half memory came back in a flash. A man. His wife. Their child. Anger. Pain. Blood._

_Lavi's head turned about, observing his surroundings. There was but one shack here, a small house just big enough for a small family. There were a few dead, mutilated chickens laying around, and a small stable that looked as if it might have once housed a horse. By his leg, buried slightly by the snow, lay a broken pole, its handle snapped at the end, splinters jutting out like a porcupine. As if to answer the question that surfaced, a pain in the back of Lavi's head reminded him that he had been struck by such a pole._

_His eye then settled on another lump in the snow. Sickeningly, Lavi knew what it was. As if to confirm his suspicions, Lavi brushed a hand over the lump, shuddering as it revealed the pale, icy skin of a man. This man, who had bled out through his neck, whose last efforts to harm the beast was knocking it out cold with the nearest weapon – a plank of wood. And now, in a painful, sickening revelation, Lavi understood what had frightened the poor girl._

_Him._

_It was guilt and shame that made him desire anything but to look again, but he did, and rehashed the feelings as if he'd been bathing in them as the girl shrunk backward into the snow with a small cry. What have I done? His stricken appearance betrayed the little girl, who, between them, deserved the reaction more than he. And he was left again with the guilt he so selfishly wanted to mend. He wanted to help her. But what courage did he have – to go up to that girl whom he had taken everything from, expecting her forgiveness, and to try and make himself feel better by bringing her with him? How selfish! But what could he do? Leave her? _

_He picked himself up out of the snow, approaching the girl gingerly. She struggled more and more against the fence, backing into it to such an extent that Lavi decided she might as well break it down. He held out his hand to her, but she swat it away with a small cry as if it might bite her. _

"_No!"_

_Lavi grimaced. He didn't blame her. But what was one to say in a situation such as this? I'm sorry I brutally killed your family? No, that wouldn't cut it. And it seemed nothing would._

"_I know you hate me right now," he spoke, frightening the girl, who probably expected a growl or wolfish sound, "And I won't ask you to forgive me, either. If there's anything I can do, there's no way I can fully apologize for my behavior."_

_He didn't even know if that fully expressed his position, but he didn't think the girl even cared. In the next moment he was on his feet, wandering aimlessly in search of his camp. It wasn't long before he found the small setup, where his clothes were sprawled out on the ground in a heap. Dressing quickly, he began to take care of Goliath in hopes he might remember what exactly had transpired the night before. The horse wasn't too used to his presence yet, probably wondering when his master might return; and Lavi was glad in a way that horses couldn't talk, because he didn't think he would be able to explain the sad fate which befell the previous owner._

_In the weeks that followed, Lavi continued to have foggy dreams about the night, waking in the morning on the ground or next to some dead animal. It wasn't until the fourth week that he decided to investigate this phenomenon, because he knew without a doubt that during the night, something was happening to him that caused him to become berserk, losing his senses, logic, and reason. He thought of leaving Lenalee a note, but the idea was immediately shot down when he remembered that Lenalee couldn't read. As his frustration grew, as did his wandering. As chance would have it, he awoke one peculiar morning in, of all places, a castle. Well, more or less, in a cage, but a castle no less._

_The cage was indeed small, cramped, and only fit for an animal. It seemed he had been shoved into the small encasement during the night, placed in a corner, and left there. Confused, he shifted about in the cage, pressing against the rusty iron bars. And as luck would have it, he managed to dislodge the top with much force. Freedom. Rising from the prison, he looked about the room he was in; the floor was what Lavi guessed to be the accumulated filth of centuries, with dust, dirt, and straw littering the cobbled stone floor, and the walls not too different, although thanks to the force of gravity, they lacked the same straw that was about the floor, instead lined with all sorts of weapons and sharp objects. His gaze continued to wander, to a window on the opposite wall, where which sat an enormous rat, nibbling at a piece of dry bread, focusing all the time an intelligent and inquiring eye upon the new occupant of the room. Below the window was a pile of worn cloth, which Lavi took the liberty of draping around his bare skin like a robe. With this, he wandered his way down the hall that adjoined the room. Imagine his surprise when he came face to face with an impressively tall figure with equally red hair. The latter hadn't even time to blink before Lavi sprang at the man, grasping him by the shoulders tightly._

"_Sir, you, I beg you, have I done anything wrong?" The man eyed him with scrutiny, brushing his two shaking hands from his coat. _

"_Since you asked, I'll be frank with you – yes! Yes, you have done something terribly wrong!"_

"_Tell me I haven't killed somebody!"_

"_You may have killed me! First, you touch my coat – I've just washed it – and now you intend to deprive me of a new one!"_

"_Not agai- ah, wait. What?"_

"_I'll venture a guess, boy, tell me your name."_

"_I'm..." Lavi hesitated a moment, "Bookman. They call me Bookman." The taller man rolled his own eyes behind the spectacles, as if he didn't quite believe him. _

"_Well, 'Bookman', you have one eye. Green, that is."_

"_Yes?" Lavi returned, urging him to continue and wondering what this had to do with anything._

"_Ah, well, it makes sense, you know. You must be her love."_

"_What are you talking about?!" Lavi insisted, his voice becoming panicked. The older man sighed, turning and waving a hand for him to follow. Lavi pursued the man the length of the hall until he entered into a much bigger room, slightly cleaner by the looks of it, which housed a bed and a wide window. The man turned, ushering him to the window. Lavi obeyed. With a gasp, he immediately noticed the hawk circling a tall tower above them._

"_And with that, I'll go ahead and suppose you know her half," the man said after a moment to light up. Lavi wrinkled his nose in disgust, but said nothing._

"_She brought you here last night. You're quite a wild thing, aren't you? Had to put you in a cage. I was about to let you out, but it seems you did that on your own."_

"_Lenalee?" The man nodded._

"_She's told me about you. Made you sound like a real man. Tch. I should have known better." The man eyed him scrutinizing once again, looking him up and down. _

"_Who are you?"_

"_Cross Marian."_

"_And you're seeing Lenalee?" Lavi asked, feeling a little betrayed._

"_Seeing her? You could say that."_

"_Bastard!"_

"_Me? Isn't it you who possess her heart?"_

"_You're seeing her!"_

_Cross rolled his eyes._

"_In any case, she wanted me to help you two. Said you were being hunted by the fat ass, and needed a place to stay. She told me her suspicions, about your little... situation... she thinks you're cursed. Says she's been waking up every night to see a wolf."_

"_A wolf?"_

"_Yeah, a wolf. Apparently, that's you. Now I've confirmed her suspicions."_

"_But how does she know...?"_

"_Idiot! What have I told you?" Cross bellowed, throwing up his arms in annoyance, "Your eye! That one, green, annoying, stupid, damn eye of yours!"_

_Lavi blinked said eye._

"_And her? She knows?"_

"_Haven't told her yet, but she will. She thinks she has it figured out. She has what she describes as 'cloudy memories'. Stuff about flying, being able to see things clearly from the sky, waking up in trees..."_

_Lavi nodded. That sounded just like what he was experiencing. But, as a wolf, it seems. But the revelation was just so shocking, so blindingly perverse that he could hardly bring himself to terms with it. A wolf! Of all things, he was turning into a wolf every night. But wasn't that a myth? Had he suddenly become one of those beasts that roam the night on full moons in the old tales? But no, every night! And all the evidence pointed to it, without question!_

_And to be a Bookman..._

"_My name is Lavi..." _

_Cross raised a brow, exhaling the poison, and smirking his way._

"_I know. Lenalee told me."_

"_Then why did you ask??"_

"_Curious." Cross shrugged with the statement. Lavi turned around, gazing out the window. He had given up his life, he concluded. His life as a Bookman was now over. He was too involved – his new destiny was clear to him. He was living for her. Lenalee was all he had left. That hawk – looking to another like any ordinary hawk – she was his life. And with no other option, he had to earn their right to be together. _

_And thus 'Lavi' was no longer an alias._

* * *

Lavi galloped his way around the building to the cathedral doors, where stood a group of men dressed in red. The knights, led by two mounted commanders, drew their blades, recognizing the man. Lavi raised his hand.

"In the name of a man who was once your Captain, let me pass!" he declared, eye focused with determination on the two commanders. Said commanders giggled at him mockingly.

"We have orders!" cried the one with shorter, dark hair.

"Yeah! So bugger off!" added the twin commander, whose lips, to Lavi's disgust, appeared to be sewn together. Ignoring this, Lavi readied Goliath. The two laughed.

"Where's your weapon?" asked the one with his long, blond curls swaying as he bounced around in his saddle with giddiness.

"He's going to fight us weaponless, Jasdero!"

"HAHA!"

Lavi growled. From the saddle he withdrew a slim sword that Allen had 'acquired' and wielded it as he charged at the two. Immediately they cried in surprise, drawing their own weapons.

"Oh, not as dumb as I thought!"

"Look, look! He's attacking us, David!"

"It seems!"

The twins danced about on their mounts, dodging Lavi's untrained swings. Crying out in frustration, Lavi leapt out of his saddle and ran at the commander with the short, dark hair. His inexperience with a sword was blindingly clear, as Lavi wielded it like he did the hammer.

"We're going to arrest you!"

"We're going to arrest you!" The twins chanted, toying with him.

"And there's nothing you can – Ah!! David! I am wounded!"

"Jasdero!"

The short haired one rushed to his twin, who fell off his horse shortly after Lavi managed to stick him in the side with the sword. The teen crumpled pathetically on the ground, sobbing and writhing in pain. Lavi could tell right away he wasn't suited for his job.

"Oh, David! I'm dying! I'm dying!!"

"No you aren't! Be strong!"

"But it huuuuurrrrtttssss!!"

Jasdero brought a hand to rest over his forehead dramatically, and Lavi rolled his eyes, remounting Goliath and slashing his way through the rest of the guards.

"You'll be fine, brother, hang in there!"

"I don't think I can, David, I'm bleeding! Oh, by the Earl, _blood_!"

"Don't look at it!"

"I can't! I can't!"

"Don't even think about it!"

"I can't David! Please, come closer!"

"Ah, I shall!"

"To die in your arms...!"

"You won't die, I tell you!"

"Farewell brother!"

"Nooo! Jasdero!"

The other teen grasped at his twin as he simply passed out, holding the latter close to his body. He cried into his shirt a moment, then picked him up bridal style and carried him away to the medical wing.

* * *

"Come on, open! Come on, come on!!" Allen hissed as he struggled to move a particularly rusty bolt. Most of the small locks were easy to remove on the door, but one of them was being a bit stubborn. With a quick glance around him, Allen caught sight of a guard making his way though the crowd, noticing his actions. With a small yelp, Allen vigorously worked at the lock, which still didn't seem to want to budge. Just as the guard raised his blade, Allen gave a fierce tug at the lock, and the doors swung open with such force that it knocked the stunned guard back. Allen, who managed to avoid the collision, watched with a dumbstruck expression as Lavi galloped inside the cathedral, gaining alarmed gasps from the crowd of clergymen as they parted. The path was cleared now, and Lavi's fierce gaze tore straight ahead of him, boring into the surprised ones belonging to both the Earl and his dog, Tyki Mikk. Lavi raised his sword, pointing it in Mikk's direction. Accepting the challenge, Tyki smirked, approaching the man on his own steed at the other end of the hall.

"We meet again, Bookman," he regarded, giving him a small salute. Lavi snorted.

"I am no Bookman," he corrected, "It will be known that, the man to drive this weapon through your heart shall be I – Lavi. The Bookman is dead."

"Ah! I see! And you were his apprentice, yes?"

Lavi made no attempt to respond.

"Well if I've already killed the master, I don't see why I can't kill his underling!" With that, a violet force surrounded his left arm, and Mikk, pulling a golden helm over his head, charged toward the man.

Allen took the chance to slip past the doors, escaping through the same bridge Lavi had just came through, and made his way to the wagon. Avoiding Cross, Allen slipped under the wagon, searching the wooden underside and withdrawing a slim bundle.

"Oh, thank you Mana!" he cradled the bundle in his arms as he raced back to the cathedral, praying that he make it back on time.

The two enemies charged one another, clashing in the middle of the hall with a sharp ringing sound made by the steel meeting the sharp, spectral force surrounding Mikk's arm. After several rounds, Lavi finally swung at the Captain with such a parried force that the blade broke through the violet rays, slicing through Mikk's unprepared hand and chopping it clean off his wrist. The man yelled out in pain, falling off his horse and grasping his wounded appendage. Lavi slowed Goliath, riding up next to the man and lowering his sword as if to demand his surrender, although both knew there would be none of that in this duel. Furiously, Mikk tore the visor away from his face, pulling off the helm and chucking it away. It flew upwards, crashing into a stained glass window and shattering it. Lavi gazed upwards as the sun shone through the skylight. Taking advantage of this momentary distraction, Mikk grabbed hold of Lavi's ankle, tearing him from his saddle to join him on the floor. Lavi was quick however, and recollected his footing, landing a kick hard to Mikk's gut, who again did not suspect such a move. And much like Mikk had just done, Lavi took the moment in which Mikk recoiled to the blow to strike his face with his boot. The attack sent what Lavi knew for sure was a tooth flying across the marble floor, and a gasp from the crowd confirmed it.

Lavi then turned his attention to the Earl, who was slowly backing away against the altar. Lavi then slowly made his way up the aisle, easily cutting down the holy guards who attempted weakly to stop him. As Lavi continued his grim march, Allen appeared in the doorway, unwrapping the bundle. With the cloth that concealed it fluttering to the floor, Allen now held Lavi's hammer, which he had kept despite lying to the man that it had fallen into the lake. He was hopeful that its loss would prevent Lavi from confronting the Earl alone, but now it seems he wished he'd brought it sooner. As he passed the weapon to Lavi out in the aisle, his gaze happened to fly back to the shattered glass. Lavi's jade eye flew open at what he saw – it was like no sun he had ever seen. It was there alright, but it looked as if something was blocking it, the sun's rays merely a ring surrounding a mighty black circle. Lavi recognized the phenomenon as a solar eclipse. He remembered Bookman mentioning it once...

He stared in wonder as the realization hit him like a big rock. Cross was right! The drunk was absolutely, positively right! But, along with the stupefying revelation, Lavi suddenly felt an immense wave of fear, remembering what he had told the man prior to entering the cathedral.

"No! Oh, no, no! Cross, wait!" he cried as Mikk recovered. He rose up, and without a sound sprang at Lavi. The latter cried out again as he was brought to the floor under Mikk's weight, and anticipating the next moment, quickly made to push Mikk off him and distance himself from the man. He gathered his hammer and it grew to the size of a horse. Holding it out before him, Lavi pushed Mikk away with the one thing the Captain could not pass through – Innocence. Mikk returned from behind, elbowing Lavi hard in the back and sending him reeling forward, following it up with a kick to the jaw. Lavi could taste the blood accumulating in his mouth, but was forced to ignore it as he raised his hammer to block Mikk's incoming attack. They were so close now, with their tools of death ever so near one another's throats...

"You're dead," Lavi growled, giving a mighty push and rolling out of the way as Mikk's fist plowed on and connected with the floor, crumbling the marble. Lavi, with the most agility Allen had ever seen the man use, twisted his hammer in his grip, slamming the handle of it down into Mikk's exposed back. The incredible force of the blow was so great that it pierced through his armor, and Mikk hadn't enough time to react before it tore through his chest and into his own heart. Mikk stared up at Lavi, shock and despair at his loss apparent in his eyes. Then something most unexpected happened. Swarms of Tease emerged from within Mikk's sleeves, surrounding their master.

"N-no..." Mikk whispered breathlessly as the Tease found their way into his dying heart, gnawing away at the flesh. Lavi grimly removed his hammer, wincing as blood spurted out of the wound. Had Mikk lost his touch? No... hold on...

The Tease seemed to become excited as the blood rose from within his chest. Blood.

The Tease must love blood.

And then another most unexpected thing occurred, this time meaning more than his victory. It was a horrid sound that represented his loss. The worst sound Lavi could ever imagine rang out through the cathedral, and he dropped to his knees in disbelief. The bell keeper performed his duty like clockwork, oblivious to the events that had transpired below. The service was over, and as far as Aquila was concerned, it had ended most peacefully...

"NO!" Lavi roared, the anguish choking him to the point where he could crumple into the floor, never to be seen again. All this! After this struggle, after coming this close to his victory, he had yet failed. And all because he was so stubborn... why?! Why had he given Cross such an instruction?! Allen stared at the man in confusion, while the Earl simply glared, wearing his expression of loathing. Nobody in the cathedral realized that Lavi's world had just ended.

With deliberate anguish, Lavi rose to his feet, weakly gripping the hammer which he intended to kill the Earl with. There was nothing left for him to do than to carry out the revenge in which he had promised the Bishop for almost three years. Nothing left but his hatred. With unwavering resolve, Lavi began his grim march anew, rounding on the Bishop, who despite his overwhelming fear of his clear as day fate, remained absolutely still.

"But kill me, my dear Lavi, and the curse will see no end," the Earl said coldly, "You must think of Lenalee."

"Lenalee... is dead. Damn you. Damn you to hell." Lavi raised his weapon to strike. Just as he was about to deliver the deathblow of the century, a clear, soft voice rang out through the cathedral.

"Lavi!"

His grip loosened slightly as the familiar voice passed his ears. Could it be? His hopeful expression followed him as he turned around slowly, almost dreading the cruel trick. But he was forced to blink as his eyes were surely deceiving him – at the end of the hall, standing in the little light given by the solar eclipse, was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. The angel stood with an equally dumbstruck expression. Words began to form on Lavi's lips, but finding no breath to speak them, watched as the same happened to his beloved. Even Allen found himself speechless at the scene, and jumped slightly as a tall figure appeared behind him, pounding his hand heartily into his back and giving Lavi a look that could have said '_I told you so!_'.

Breaking from his concentration, Lavi turned dramatically, grabbing the Earl by his robes and slamming him down into the marble floor.

"Look at her!" he barked, forcefully yanking the holy man's head up. His jaw was open in a silent scream as he was forced to look upon the very object of his obsession. His head was then jerked upward.

"Look at me!" Lavi growled as their eyes locked in a glare so poisonous that words couldn't begin to describe the hate in between. Then Lavi, picking up the discarded sword, pointed it directly in front of the Earl's heart, stepping down and kneeling next to Lenalee.

"Look at us." For a moment, the Earl refused, hiding his face distorted by pure rage.

"LOOK AT US!!" Lavi roared, backhanding the man, causing his eyes to fly open. The Earl was unable to contain his utter madness, looking at the couple – the girl he had tried so desperately to win, and then that bastard who had stolen his precious flower away from him. Together! Ah, the humility of it all!

"It's over," mumbled Cross, chuckling. He placed a hand on Allen's shoulder, and the boy shuddered despite his gratefulness that there was finally and end to it.

Lavi turned to see Lenalee as the shadow began to fall away from the sun. It was over, the curse was truly broken. He stared at Lenalee for a moment before breaking into a run, taking her hand. He felt warm to the touch – the touch he had been denied of for nearly three years. And it felt wonderful. Suddenly Lenalee looked surprised, peering down at their hands, which were joined. Lavi felt something small and leathery in her hand, and with utter disgust, realized what it was. Lenalee withdrew from their united hands, and made her way up to the altar. The Earl suddenly looked up, hope in his eyes. He knew Lenalee would return to him! On his knees, he held out his arms for her, a move of mad expectation.

Lenalee avoided both his gaze and his outreached arms, holding her hand out before him. Crumpled up in her delicate hand was the small hood she had worn as a hawk, and she threw it down before him in a final and utter rejection. The Earl sank to the floor in defeat. Lenalee returned to her lover.

As Lavi was distracted, the Earl withdrew from his robes a thick sword emblazoned with a mighty black cross, and with a look painted by his fury and inconsolable rage, he charged at the two with a final and desperate cry: "**Then no man shall!**"

Allen started. "Lavi!!"

Lavi was a step ahead, however, and picking up his hammer, willed it to extend. It collided with the Bishop's sword, knocking it out of his weakened grip, flying past and jabbing the sharp tip into his heart. The hammer continued to extend until it had pinned the Earl against the crucifix on the mighty back wall, violently impaling him.

"Lenalee..." his eyes hadn't left the girl all the while, and as his last strength drained away from his body, he made final attempt to glare at Lavi, cursing him to every hell he could name. Finally his form became limp, and the crowd stood utterly and completely stunned at this gruesome defeat.

Lenalee and Lavi also stared, their faces speechless once again, hardly able to believe it was finally – without further ado – over. Lenalee then turned to Lavi, pulling him to his feet and locking him in her tight embrace. Her joyful laughs echoed like the song throughout the cathedral as Lavi picked her up, raising her high in celebration. She hunched over, legs wrapped around his shoulders, slamming her lips into his in a most passionate kiss. Lavi followed into it, and for a long moment they conveyed such emotion in one action that Allen could feel his own heart melting. They were finally reunited. Allen smiled, feeling a tear fall down his cheek. Cross chuckled, sauntering over to the corpse that was the Earl, pulling out the hammer that Lavi seemed to have forgotten entirely about. He then turned his back on the man, not giving his body another thought.

After what Allen thought was an eternity, Lavi and Lenalee finally broke apart, and Lavi set her on the ground. Lenalee immediately clung to her beloved, tears of joy streaking her face. For the first time ever, Allen was witness to a true, honest smile. The biggest, happiest smile he had ever seen Lavi wear.

"You're the truest friend we could ever have, Allen, a true miracle," Lavi said, his voice so strong, with so much meaning in his words, "I fully intend to meet you at the pearly gates, little thief. Don't you dare disappoint me!"

Allen was so overcome with emotion that he choked on his words.

"I'll meet you there, all of you. Even if I have to pick the lock!"

Everyone laughed, even Cross, who had been pulled into a quick, thankful hug by Lenalee.

At last, Lavi and Lenalee returned to each other. Lenalee looked up into Lavi's stunning green eye, and he returned his own gaze to her beautiful almonds. With another hearty kiss, they said their farewells to their friends and rode Goliath out of the cathedral in search of the nearest vacancy.

Allen watched them go, smiling.

"Mana, I have always believed in miracles. I'd always hoped they would come to me – but how, I ask, did it ever happen that I was the miracle itself? Life is a strange adventure, Mana. I guess I shouldn't expect so much. Oh, what am I saying? I think I've turned over a new leaf! No more lies, Mana! None! Allen Walker will never steal again-"

"Shut up, annoying. You still owe me."

"For what?" Allen rubbed his head where his master had struck him.

"Remember what I sent you away with? I said if you were to return, you would bring me something worth my time. And what, praytell, did you bring me? A bird." Allen stared at the man incredulously.

"You think saving Lenalee wasn't worth your time?!"

"Ah, of course not. But the fact of the matter is that you brought me neither gold nor women, and therefore, you owe me. Besides, what do you think I came all the way out here for?"

Allen groaned, unable to find the strength to argue further with the man. He then followed Cross out of the cathedral to the man's favorite tavern, despairing that he would have to go against his recent pledge to Mana in order to pay for the unbelievably large and upcoming tab.

**END**

* * *

**I just wanna thank everyone who stayed with me til the end here and I'm sooooo glad that it's finally finished! Thank you everyone!! n.n**


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